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Vol.12, No. 10 OCTOBER 1950

FISH and WILDLIFE SERVICE
United States Department of the Interior

W ashington, D.C.

UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
OSCAR L. CHAPMAN, Secretary

FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE
ALBERT M. DAY, Director

COMMERCIAL@ cy

‘FISHERIES EVIE

A REVIEW OF DEVELOPMENTS AND NEWS OF THE FISHERY INDUSTRIES
PREPARED IN THE BRANCH OF COMMERCIAL FISHERIES
A. W. Anderson , Editor
R.T. Whiteleather, Associate Editor
Wm.H. Dumont and J. Pileggi, Assistant Editors

Applications for COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW, which is mailed tree to members of the
fishery industries and allied interests,should be addressed to the

Director, Fish and Wildlife Service, United Stotes Department of the Interior, Washington, 25, D.C.

The contents of this publication have not been copyrighted and may be reprinted freely; however, reference fc
the source will be apprecioted. The Service assumes no responsibility for the accuracy of material from outside sources.
The printing of this publication has been approved by the Director of the Bureau of the Budget, December |5, 1949

CONTENTS

COVER: UNLOADING SKIPJACK TUNA CATCH AT ABURATSU, MIYAZAK|
PREFECTURE, KYUSHU, JAPAN. FISH WERE CAUGHT IN THE RYUKYU
AREA BY THE POLE-AND-LINE SKIPJACK VESSEL TIED UP AT THE
LANDING. (SEE P. | OF THIS ISSUE.)

PAGE

SOME PROCESSING AND TECHNOLOGICAL METHODS 1N THE JAPANESE FISHERIES, BY DAVID T. MIYAUCHI ..ccererererererereroce
se ee 8

PAGE PAGE
RESEARCH UN SERVI(CE, LABORATORIES o)e/areelelctaysiclereisielcietererare mae lina | MROREMIGN suacistevererctaciciololoieicialettiersieiteisieiselisisie cisiecine a ctciec el 4
TRENDS AND DEVELOPMENTS: ...ececececececererecesevece 24 AUSTRALIA
ADDITIONS TO THE FLEET OF U. S. FISHING VESSELS ... 24 AMERICAN INTERESTS REQUEST PERMISSION TO FISH FOR
ATLANTIC COAST MARINE FISHERIES POLLUTION STUDY ... 24 TUNA IN AUSTRALIAN WATERS ..ccesesecerecereseress 41
CALIFORNIA CANNING INDUSTRY REQUESTED NOT TO USE SPINY LOBSTER AND TUNA EXPLORATIONS PLANNED ...... 42
SUBTILIN IN FOOD PRESERVATION .....e.esee . 26 UNITED STATES LEADING IMPORTER OF AUSTRALIAN SPINY
FEDERAL AID BRANCH TO HANDLE FISHERY AND WILDLIFE. POBSTERMMAMUSHetsintejemncrslacioctinciecietieclcteicnieie ic eae
RESTORATION PROGRAMS ......e.000. 4 26 FISH CANNERS URGE PROTECTION FROM IMPORTS ......-. 44
FEDERAL PURCHASES OF FISHERY PRODUCTS ... 2 27 CANADA
GREAT LAKES FISHERY INVEST!GATIONS: FISHERIES DEPARTMENT ESTIMATES FOR 1950-5! EX-
PROGRESS IN THE GREAT LAKES SEA LAMPREY |NVESTI- PENDITURES ...... isoclalicisisicieisiele mate ctelteleteiicicemme 44
GATIONS AS OF YJULYAIGSOR RE snes onicte cis cckeeecienn cee ee FISHERIES SUPPORT PROGRAM, FISCAL YEAR 1950 ...... 45
GWLF EXPLORATORY FISHERY PROGRAM: CHILE: 5
nOREGON,, LOCATES GROOVED SHRIMP (CRUISE NO. 3) . 28 DEVELOPMENT OF FISHERIES FLANNED .ecseseceeecevess 46
"OREGON" EXPLORES FOR SHRIMP IN DEEP WATER (CRUISE COSTA RICA:
NOSIS) ceteralelsreioteloleln ste cialeiencdsle alate ie sere eee ee eo GROUP OF DANISH FISHERMEN INVITED TO DEVELOP COSTA
LIMIT OF EXPANSION FOR EAST COAST ROSEFISH FISHERY RIGANTEVSHERIES cc\sleiveniniiemiticcioniccitctiene io aen een tto
REACHED Insrieienciseiatiacieen eeiccien pomsobasadodSuoba. SO) ECUADOR:
NORTH ATLANTIC FISHERY INVESTIGATIONS: FISH MARKETING SITUATION ..ccesecccccecececccecces 47
ALBATROSS 111 COMPLETES FISH POPULATION CENSUS EL SALVADOR
ON SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND BANKS (CRUISE NO, 38) .. 31 LEGISLATION PASSED TO ENCOURAGE FISHERIES ENTER-
SCROD HADDOCK TAGGED BY THE ALBATROSS 111" (CRUISE PRITSES P cttnctorersiorctele/enielestcieleteiere cTolesaloieiete cieicisieteistersie Cie amneLo)
RRA) ioocneceneose ace daponoodeahodeea. ei GERMAN FEDERAL REPUBLIC:
NORTH PACIFIC EXPLORATORY FISHERY PROGRAM: GOVERNMENT MEASURES AFFECTING THE FISHERIES ...... 49
ALBACORE TUNA EXPLORATIONS CONTINUED DURING SEP- | CELAND:
MEMBERMBYaeJOHNEN ci COBB aichalcielatercieleictereiercteteictchinisie sian Ge HERRING © PRIICESS RAISED iecercisseteto elalelclelcielelejoraicleicveletaletleyemn oO)
PACIFIC OCEANIC FISHERY INVESTIGATIONS: JAPAN:
HENRY O'MALLEY SCOUTS FOR BAIT AND FISHES FOR EXPORT OF SKILLED FISHERMEN TO INDIA cecsecececees 5!
» TUNA (CRUISE,NO, IV) ...... neloseliciisiscineacion sieemas MEX CO:
HUGH M. SMITH" STUDIES ABUNDANCE OF TUNA SPAWN EXPORT: DUT:NES “ON. SHRIMP» ¢s\2\<ic)s'o\e/a/o\sleisleieierieaieiciaisierle Ol
AND NEW DEVICE (CRUISE NO. VI) escvcvescscveseee 34 SHRIMP WEIRS TO BE REMOVED v.cvececercsouececersrs Ol
fERVICE TO MAKE MASSACHUSETTS SEAFOODS FILM ....... 35 AMOUNT OF SHRIMP BEING FLOWN TO THE UNITED STATES
SHIPBUILDERS OF ESSEX AWARDED FIRST PRIZE AT INCREASING ...0 cececccecoccvcsevccecouseasecscere Ol
VENICE FILM EXHIBITION .eceseveseves mieicie(e tenOD SHRIMP INDUSTRY EXPANDING .e-ese-ecececereraserere Ol
SOCIAL SECURITY ACT AMENDMENTS OF 1950 AFFECT FISH NORWAY:
ING SIINDUSTIRIJES: slereisietalaetesiercisioten Omelet tioeicioitcie ee SO WHALING COMPANIES CHALLENGE RIGHT OF GOVERNMENT TO
WHOLESALE AND RETAIL PRICES: FIX PRICES FOR WHALE OIL .eserececerereresereress 52
WHOLESALE PRICES, AUGUST 1950 .....c.eccccceceeess 37 WEST COAST BOAT BUILDERS REPORT A SLUMP IN FISH-
RETAIL PRICES, AUGUST 1950 ................, 38 ING-VESSEL CONSTRUCTION ssececeserecerereceeserse 52
ECA PROCUREMENT AUTHORIZATIONS FOR FISHERY PRODUCTS 39 PERU:
EUROPEAN RECOVERY PROGRAM NOTES: REVIEW OF THE FISHERIES, 1949 soveceserereesresoes S2
AMERICAN RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY PLACED AT SERVICE EXPORT DUTIES we ccvecevererercrcessereetseesseneres 53
OFSWESTIERNGEUROPE cer stectaiciscininiemiets scion cise ee eo REPUBL|C OF THE PHILIPPINES:
EUROPEAN PAYMENTS UNION IN OPERATION wcscesecesene 40 REVIEW OF THE FISHERIES, FISCAL YEAR 1949-50 ...., 53

CONTENTS CONTINUED ON PAGE 85

COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW

October 1950 Washington 25, D.C. Vol.12, No. 10

SOME PROCESSING AND TECHNOLOGICAL METHODS
IN THE JAPANESE FISHERIES

D. T. Miyauchi

PREFACE

In the autumn of 1948 the Pacific Oceanic Fishery Investigations, U. S, Fish
and Wildlife Service, initiated a project to have a team of fishery scientists make
a reconnaissance of the Japanese pelagic tropical and subtropical fisheries, The
team, composed of two fishery biologists and a technologist, was integrated into
the Fisheries Division of the Natural Resources Section of SCAP and operated under
Mr, William C, Herrington, the chief of the Fisheries Division, The primary ob-
jective of this reconnaissance was to gather information on all phases of the
Japanese tuna fisheries which would (1) enable the Pacific Oceanic Fishery Inves-
tigations to more effectively plan the exploratory and investigational operation
of the high seas fisheries of the Territories and island possessions of the United
States in the tropical and subtropical Pacific Ocean, and (2) be useful in the ad-
ministration by SCAP of the Japanese fisheries,

The primary concern of the fisheries technologist during the Japanese Recon-
naissance was to gather information on the Japanese method of preserving and
handling the tuna, fish-processing techniques, the various types of byproducts,
and their fisheries technological research work, Tuna canneries were visited in
Yokosuka, Kurihama, Yaizu, and Shimizu, but unfortunately most of the canneries
were not in operation when they were visited during the months of December and
January, Fish-liver oil plants in the vicinity of Tokyo were visited, and meet
ings were held with research workers at the fisheries experimental stations,
private companies, and the universities,

Interviews with Japanese scientists did not prove too fruitful, mainly due
to the language barrier, When interpreters were provided, they were satisfactory
for the common, everyday type of conversation; but since they did not have a tech=
nical background, they were unable to interpret the more detailed and technical
conversation, The Japanese scientists would describe their work briefly, and
further questioning would not reveal the more specific description of their methods
of research and results,

A great many of the research workers are engaged in limited and detailed
studies that are of little significance in solving some of the problems confront-
ing the Japanese fishing industry, There is a great deal of duplication of re-
search work among the various institutions and individuals, and a great many of
them are not femiliar with the works of others or with the literature intheir own
field, The research program has been also somewhat limited because it has not
been possible to replace some of the laboratory equipment destroyed during World
War II,

CHEMIST, FORMERLY WITH THE PACIFIC OCEANIC FISHERY INVESTIGATIONS, FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE
HONOLULU, HAWAI|.

2 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 12, No, 10

Written reports and articles on fishery technology published in the various
journals were secured whenever possible in order to supplement the information ob-
tained by interviews, Since these reports are written in Japanese, they must be
translated into English before they can be studied and evaluated, There was no
outstanding piece of research work among the limited number of publications, which
included an English abstract,

Data on the Japanese fishing industry given in this report were obtained from
as many independent sources as possible and were also checked for reliability, when-
ever possible, with information already on file with the Fisheries Division of the
Natural Resources Section, It was not possible, however, for the Fisheries Division
to make a check on all of the data included here,

CONTENTS
PAGE PAGE
JAPANESE TUNA INDUSTRY: oo eee se ececcceresecsrerasernvece 2 PRESERVATION MOFAIBAIIIAFAUSH sleleteyetevelolelstolalolelareietal-Veratelstatatete & 10)
INTRODUCTION. ....- eeeeueeee hh eee ese eee eee eee ieee 2 SOME JAPANESE SPECIALTY FISH Le geleI SUSE Feces cevevcocesers 12
HANDLING AND PRESERVATION OF FISH ABOARD THE TUNA KATSUOBUSHI : 12
VESSELS... 200-4 pane eee rece eearacaccencseececosenere 2 CHUCLVGNSed comuodoorn cdagououunoudosadabeelAbatos On) (is)
PREPARAT 1 ON AND PROCESS|ING OF TUNA AT THE CANNERY..... 4 JAPANESE BYPRODUCTS: Soe (i)
BUTCHERING. . cee cc cc ece eer cs cc esesereserscsverecscs 5 SQUALANE‘t c ciclecicte cieiele ice oe) (3)
PRE-COOK PROCEDURE USED... IREMMIN ES Ge6 conse cdodcocendocauascorcoosbNnocoate secluaita:
TUNA=CLEANING PROCEDURE... 6 VITAMIN-A OILS FROM FISH LIVERS 15

TUNA-CANNING PROCEDURE......-

HAND PACKING... cece ee en ener e cere rena sce acesasarece a7 PURCHASING PROCEDURE FOR FISH LIVERS......... iS

CAN-CLEANING PROCEDURE.... cs ceecccccccscecssecernce 8 PROCESSING PROCEDURE. ...eeeeeeees- eeeesceces 15

RETORTING. c. cece nr ee er erererererererssasesereserece 8 VITAMIN=A TABLET MANUFACTURE.....2-2.2% 16
INSPECTION OF CANNED TUNA... cece eeercrenecerecerssene 8 REPORT OF VITAMIN-A RESEARCH PROJECTS... 16
JTUNA-PROCESSING YIELD DATA......eeses eee ~ ees eens see 8 FISH MEAL... .sccccceccce eect teeter erence *. 16
GREEN TUNA PROBLEM... .. cece cece s center eseeecene one 9 POISONOUS FISH OF THE SOUTH SEAS......c-ceessseerceeeess 18
CHEMICAL AND ORGANOLEPT!IC TESTS ON ALBACORE TUNA.....- 9

JAPANESE TUNA INDUSTRY

INTRODUCTION: The writer's observation of the Japanese methods of handling
and processing tuna was limited due to the short stay in Japan and to the fact
that only a few of the canneries were in operation at the time the visits were
made, Only the landing and handling of fish caught in the winter tuna fishery were
observed, and thus it is not possible to give an accurate description of the year-
round operation, It was quite evident, however, that handling methods and process-
ing techniques used by the American tuna industry are far more advanced than those
in Japan, In his report entitled, "Survey of Processing Methods and Inspection
Standards of Fisheries Products in Japan" for the Fisheries Division, Natural Re-
sources Section, General Headquarters, SCAP, J, C, Lightburn states: "Observations
disclosed that the processing techniques and handling methods in the Japanese fish-
ing industry are outmoded, It is very apparent that no technological improvement
of consequence has been made in the Japanese fishing industry for years, The only
justification that appears possible for the use of the present methods is that they
have been handed down from generation to generation," One of the contributing fac~
tors in this outmoded condition is that the Japanese use hand labor in many of the
operations because labor is plentiful, whereas the American industry has mechanized
the production lines and is constantly seeking ways to increase the operating ef-—
ficiency and thus cut the cost of production,

HANDLING AND PRESERVATION OF FISH ABOARD THE TUNA VESSELS: The Japanese use
ice to preser preserve the fish aboard the tuna vessels, Some of the larger tuna vessels
have mechanical refrigeration with coils extending around the holds for the purpose
of preserving the ice Atal but none of the vessels has the necessary equip=
ment for freezing the fish, At one time the Japanese experimented with freezing
tuna by holding the fish in eutectic brine (around -6° F,), but they did not adopt
this method commercially because of salt penetration of the flesh, The freezing of

/ THE BANSHU MARU, A REFRIGERATED MOTHERSHIP, WAS USED WITH A FLEET OF THREE TUNA CATCHER BOATS
FOR ONE MONTH DURING THE SUMMER OF | 948 AS” AN EXPERIMENT TO DETERMINE THE PRACTICABILITY OF
USING A MOTHERSHIP IN THE TUNA FISHERY.

October 1950 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 3

fish also has been avoided partly because the Japanese consumers prefer eating raw
"fresh" tuna and because the skipjack is used mainly for manufacturing katsuobushi
(dried skipjack sticks),

In the summer fisheries, when the trips are less than twenty days in duration,
the tuna and skipjack are usually chilled and preserved in a mixture of sea water
and ice, When this method is used, 30-pound blocks of ice are loaded into the holds
of the vessels, As the fishing operation begins, an empty hold is partially filled
with sea water and large chunks of ice; and the sea water is cooled to approximately
32°F, Much more ice is added to the well at intervals during the process of low-
ering the body temperature of the fish from about 659 F, to approximately 320 FE... In
most cases the fish are held in the chilled sea water for the duration of the trip;
but in other instances, especially with the yellowfin tuna, the cooled fish are
transferred to another hold and packed in crushed ice,

When a mixture of sea water and ice is used to hold the fish, some salt pene~
tration of the flesh may occur, but the fish can be cooled more rapidly and evenly
as a result of better heat transfer than if only crushed ice were usea, The ap-
pearance of the fish remains good because the fish is kept relatively free of slime
and is less apt to be crushed by the weight of other fish,

Crushed ice is used primarily to chill and to preserve the tuna in the winter
fisheries when the trips take more than 20 days, .The holds can be partitioned with
shelves three to five in number, with each shelf carrying two layers of fish sur-
rounded with crushed ice, At the present time many of the boats do not use the par-
titions, but use the entire hold as a single unit, Generally speaking, in the pre=
war days the fish were handled with greater care, Some of the boats used 5 percent
by weight of salt with the crushed ice, while a few boats iced the fish individually
in wooden boxes, which were packed in tiers in the holds,

Tuna, Other than albacore, which weigh over 30 pounds are sthamiine: ted aboard
the fishing vessels; the albacore tuna are usually left in the round, When the
long-line method of fishing is used, the large fish are eviscerated as soon as they
are hauled aboard the vessel; but when the pole and line method is used, the big
fish are selected for evisceration after the fishing operation has slowed down or
stopped,

In the several fish unloading operations observed at the dock, four or five of
the fish were tied together by the tails, hoisted out of the hold with a winch,
dumped onto the deck, and tossed down a wooden ramp to the dock where they were
sorted according to species, weighed, and graded,

A relatively small percentage of the iced tuna landed is in sufficiently good
eondition for either freezing or canning for export to the United States, Approxi-
mately 10 to 20 percent of the albacore tuna observed at the fish docks during
November and December were of good quality; the remainder of the fish were in fair
to very poor condition, Statistics for the 1948 albacore tuna season showed that
only about 35 percent of the total catch was suitable for freezing purposes, The
following are some of the factors which contributed to the spoilage of fish:

Js Fishermen remain on the fishing grounds longer: than they should be-
cause fuel oil is allotted to them on the basis of the amount of fish

landed, Quality of the fish is not taken into consideration in making

2/ 1T HAS BEEN POINTED OUT BY CLAUDE M. ADAMS, CHIEF OF THE PRODUCTION AND PROCESSING BRANCH
FISHERIES DIVISION, NRS, SCAP, THAT ONLY THE LARGE FISH I NTENDED FOR DOMEST|C CONSUMPTION
ARE EVISCERATED AND THAT NO EVISCERATED FISH ARE ACCEPTED FOR FREEZING OR CANNING FOR EX-
PORT.

4 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol, 12, No, 10

the fuel oil allotment; however, efforts are now being made to establish
a system to distribute fuel oil on a basis of the amount of fish landed
in edible condition, Most of the fish considered not to be of proper
quality for export purposes is used for domestic consumption,

25 There is no incentive for delivery of high-quality fish since there
is no differential in price between fish of excellent quality and those
in fair or poor condition, Fishermen are paid the ceiling price for all
fish in edible condition and about half the ceiling price for fish fit
only for use as fertilizer,

35 Fish destined for domestic consumption are handled roughly and
crudely, They are hooked indiscriminately and, too often, dragged over
rough floors, and tossed onto vehicles or conveyors, Fish intended for
export, however, are handled with great care,

he Because available equipment and materials are scarce and inferior,
there has been a shortage of proper refrigeration and ice-making facili-
ties, For example, ammonia leaks are frequently noted and attributed to
the substitution of ordinary pipes for the scarce seamless pipes when
repairs on the existing refrigeration installations were necessary, Con-
tinual overloading of the system and improper maintenance were evident
from the thick layers of frost on the refrigeration pipes and around the
door sills at many of the cold-storage plants visited. In prewar days,
the ice supply was more plentiful and the boats were able to take on ade
ditional ice at the Bonin Islands and at Formosa, Even then, the major-
ity of the fish were only in fair condition in comparison with the pre-
sent high United States standards,

PREPARATION AND PROCESSING OF TUNA AT THE CANNERY: There is no regular in-

“ ny a ES

FIGURE | - WASHING ALBACORE TUNA BEFORE PROCESSING FOR CANNING.

October 1950 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 5

canning purposes, The highest-quality fish are frozen either for export to the
United States or for canning during the off-season, All these fish are frozen in
the round, When the frozen fish are to be canned, they are thawedin large wooden
tanks with running fresh water,

Butchering: Tuna to be canned are eviscerated and heads cut off, The heads
are removed in order to decrease the size of the fish and to increase the capacity
of the equipment for pre-cooking the edible portion, The Japanese claim that the
appearance of the cooked meat is improved by cooking without the heads because of
better drainage of the blood, The raw heads are used for bait or are cooked later
with the entrails for fertilizer,

The fish are washed with fresh water and are ready for the pre-cook, The
Japanese say that it is desirable to do the washing with salt water, and at one
cannery the fish are actually held for 20 minutes in a 3-percent brine solution
prior to the pre-cook,

Pre-cook Procedure Used: Pre-cook conditions as described by the company of-
ficials differed from cannery to cannery, but they fall into one of the several
groups for which descriptive data are given here,

iS Pre-cook conditions were unchanged for each of the several species
of tuna processed, but they did differ in certain respects based on
weight of the fish as shown in the following tabulation:

Pressure Temperature

Time of Cook

Weight of Fish

Pounds Hours
8-25 3
25-37 ac

37-50

Over 50

A groove is cut along the middle of each side of those fish which are
above 25 pounds in weight, Very large fish are also cut down the back
to the backbone before the pre-cook,

2 The conditions for the pre-cook were adjusted for the species of
tuna and for the size of fish within each species to be processed,

Albacore Tuna

Time of Cook

Weight of Fish Time of Cook

Pounds Lbs./Sq. Inch LR
Under 8.3 2 218.5

Yellowfin tuna are cut longitudinally into four strips and are pre-cooked
as in the case of the katsuo (skipjack) mentioned above,

6 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES HEVIEW Vol, 12, No, 10

Sh All fish are pre-cooked for 38 hours at 4-pounds pressure, Larger
fish have grooves cut down the back and along the sides so that they may
be cooked the same length of time as the smaller fish,

During the tour of the tuna canneries the author did not have the opportunity
of observing the pre-cook operations, It has been pointed out by Claude Adams, ~
however, that the Japanese canners
do not place proper emphasis on
this important step in the pro-
cess; and while the tables given
on the previous page show the
proper pre-cook time and temper-
ature and pressure to be used,
generally these conditions are
not followed closely by most can-
ners, Also, the bring-up time
is insufficient to allow the fish
to heat up to the normal pre-cook
temperature of the retort,

Tuna-Cleaning Procedure: The
special cleaning knife used to
trim the tuna loins hasno handle
and is merely a metal blade about
eight inches long and half-an-inch
wide, The cutting portion of the
knife is about three inches long
and is on the edge of the blade

ons SURE s which angles off and meets the
FIGURE 2 - JAPANESE LABORER LOADING ALBACORE TUNA opposite edge at a point, Hern
INTO A PRE=COOK RETORT. tip of the cutting end of the
blade is curved to one side,

After allowing the
cooked fish tq cool over-
night, the skin is scraped
away, the body is split
longitudinally into two
halves, the exposed back-
bone and rib bones are
removed, and each half
is split longitudinally
again into two halves,
The dark meat and any
blood spots are carefully
removed from the loins
with the cleaning knife,
The bones and skins are
used for fertilizer, the
dark meat and trimmings
are packed in jars for
the domestic market, and
the top quality light
imeat is canned for ex=
port purposes,

en se e ih.

FIGURE 3 - THE DARK MEAT AND BLOOD SPOTS ARE REMOVED FROM THE
ALBACORE TUNA LOINS.

October 1950 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 7

TUNA-CANNING PROCEDURE: Hand Packing: The trimmed loins are cut witha knife
by hand in a wooden cutting block, The crumbling of the meat during the cutting
process is kept at a minimum by this method, A minimum of 165 grams of meat is
weighed out in a small pan, and these pans are passed along to the packers, Cotton-

=...

FIGURE 4 - PACKING CANS WITH ALBACORE TUNA AND CHECKING THE WEIGHT BEFORE SEALING.

seed oil imported from the United States is added to the empty cans, the amount of
oil added varying from a small quantity to about 16 grams, Specifications require
that the acid value of the cottonseed oil be less than 1,0; the oil being used now
has an acid value of around 0,1, Next, the meat is packed into the cans very care-
fully by hand, One momme (3,75 grams) of salt is added with a standard spoon, The
can is placed on a hand scale, and the remainder of the cottonseed oil is added with
a dipper to bring fhe net weight of the contents to 200 grams. The cans are closed
in vacuum-closing machines, which operate
at capacities averaging between 50 to 60
cans per minute, One company passed the
cans for five minutes through an exhaust
box 60 feet long and then through the
vacuum-closing machine, This company
believes that the use of both the ex-
haust box and the vacuum-closing machine
helps to remove any undesirable odors
from the canned fish; however, the vac-
uum of the closing machine must be care~
fully regulated in order to prevent the fe yal
loss of the cottonseed oil as the cans , os

FIGURE 5 - PACKING DISCARDED SCRAPS OF ALBA-

pass through the closing machine, CORE WITH SOYA SAUCE IN TALL CANS FOR CON
SUMPTION IN JAPAN,

an A
i

ity
i :
i 2)

8 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol, 12, No, 10

Can-Cleaning Procedure: Formerly the cans went from the vacuum-closing machine
through a mechanical can washer, which consisted of two large brushes rotating ina
solution of steam-heated water and a special soap, These can washers are not being
used at the present time due to the shortage of soap and to the lack of brushes, The
cans are now cleaned by hand, utilizing pieces of cloth or sawdust and gasoline or

other solvents,

Retorting: The canned tuna are retorted for 80 minutes at pressures ranging
from 8 to 10 pounds per square inch, The "bring up" time varies from 10 to 20
minutes, and the "blow down" time from 10 to 25 minutes, The retorts are equipped
with a steam pressure gauge and a mercury thermometer by which the retort operator
controls the cook, The hot cans are cooled initially from 15 to 30 minutes with
cold water from sprayers attached to the inside walls of the retort and are placed
in the warehouse for the final cooling.

Generally speaking, the canneries have poorly equipped retorts, Many of the
retorts do not have condensate traps, adequate cooling system, proper drainage out-
let, nor more than one vent; they are not properly installed to insure continuous
flow of steam throughout the period of sterilization,

INSPECTION OF THE CANNED TUNA: Sample cans of tuna are opened for examination
by inspectors of the Food Trading Public Corporation, a semi-governmental organiza=
tion, and by laboratory technicians of the Canning Association (Kan Binzume Kyokai
Bu), The latter organization inspects 5 to 10 cans selected at random for each 100
cases of tuna or 20 cans for each lot of 500 cases examined, If one of the cans in=
spected falls below the standard, another sampling consisting of 20 cans per 100
cases is opened and inspected, If any of these are substandard, the whole lot is
rejected for export purposes, The cans of tuna are inspected for vacuum, headspace,
volume of liquid, drained weight of meat, odor and color of the juice, and the ap-
pearance of the tin plate on the inside of the can,

Examination of several cans of tuna showed the product to be of very good
quality, The meat showed good color, normal flavor and odor; a sufficient amount
of salt and good qualtity cottonseed oil were added; the cans registered from 2 to
14 inches of vacuum, It was noted, however, that the cans had no code marks on the
lids by which such information as the date of pack could be determined,

TUNA=PROCESSING YIELD DATA: Data on the utilization of raw albacore tuna at
one of the canneries during 1948 as submitted by the Japanese are as follows:

Winter Pack

Percent Percent
MAN C Ves DAC Kieleretelelelefereieleie/ elelaterevelelarele) stelorevevereleisieicistevelete 26.0 31.6
Domestic=consumptiion pack cccccoccceccccccccvocve 27.0 21.5
Hoads (fonmhertidd Zor) «sretaeteveiciersie cle ctieicieiies cleleccees 13.0 10.0
WES COT Ee letelaloleiviels}ele elciele ove elviciciclsieleieieiclel ciclo eelcicictereieve ‘4.7 Bed

Wastvea((bonass: Skins matCs:)) llc s siecle ss manne
1/No data available.

11.3

1/

The pre~cook shrinkage loss is not listed and probably accounts for that percentage
of the whole which is lacking,

A more detailed report on the utilization of the albacore tuna was obtained
from another company which began packing tuna in July 1948, The fancy and flake
packs are put in halfepound cans, and the trimmings canned for domestic consumption
are packed in one-pound cans, Processing yield data for one day per month is in-
cluded in the tabulation on the following page:

October 1950 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 9

Sept.6,1946] Oct.5, 1946] Nov.6,1946
35 (frozen)| 65 (iced)| 48 (iced)
1,849 lbs. | 3,755 1bs.] 1,992 lbs.

ele ldead

Aug. 5,1948
45 (frozen)
2,170 lbs.

Date e@eceeseseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee eee eeee

Number of fish esccccccccccccsecccce
Weight Of LASH cececcecccecccsccvcccce

Waste (viscera, head, etc.) eevevcos
Dressed PiSh cccccccccccccecccccsece
Shrinkage during pre-CcOOk .eccoccose
Mish after Pre=-cook .dcccccccccscccs
Fancy—pack meat cecccccccccccvcccccs
Flakes @ecereeeevesceseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Domestic consumption cescccceccceres
Waste (bone, skin, etc.) wsecccccecee
1/323 pounds or 14.9 percent were used for the fancy and flake packs.
2/It is noted that no allowance is made for waste.

"GREEN" TUNA PROBLEM: The companies canning albacore landed during the winter
months are confronted with the problem of "green" tuna, The so-called "green". tuna
are winter albacore, the white meat of which darkens during the pre-cooking period,
The "green" tuna differ from the normal albacore in that they are thinner; have
smaller livers and lower oil content; and have body juice with a higher pH, It is
estimated that approximately 30 to 40 percent of the albacore tuna landed during
the winter months are "green" tuna, The "green" tuna are landed in the greatest
number during the periods of October to December and March through April; a smaller
number of "green" tuna are landed during January and February,

Although the Japanese made limited studies on this problem before World War II,
no concrete evidence on the causes of "green" tuna seems to have been uncovered,
However, several reasons have been suggested, The poor quality of the meat is as-
sociated with low-oil content, and loweoil content during the winter is said to be
related to the spawning time, Summer albacore tuna is caught with pole and line and
is landed aboard the vessel immediately after being hooked, The winter albacore
tuna, on the other hand, is caught by the long-line method, and some people believe
that a chemical change, which is responsible for the discoloration and poor flavor
of the cooked meat, takes place in the fish as it struggles to free itself from the
hook, It has also been noted that the discoloration is not always evenlydistributed
throughout the fish, but is more prevalent near the tail portion, Some people believe
that these poor qualities occur only in fish in the process of decomposition, while
others believe it has no relationship with the degree of freshness of the fish, Until
a scientific investigation is made, the true conditions which are responsible for the
"green" tuna cannot be determined,

CHEMICAL AND ORGANOLEPTIC TESTS ON ALBACORE TUNA: The Japanese have made chem=
ical analysis of the winter albacgre tuna and some of their results are given in
tables 1-6, It should be noted that all of the tables are as submitted by the Jap-

anese; no attempt has been made to check for any discrepancies,

The data in table 1 indicate that fish of low-oil content having body juice of
a high pH are not desirable for canning because the cooked meat has an off-flavor,
rancid odor, and a bluish color,

Glass-like crystals of magnesium ammonium phosphate are found in some cans of
winter albacore tuna processed from fish caught offshore by the long=line method;
no crystals have been found in tuna canned from the inshore catch, It should be
noted that the crystal formation is related to high pH of the body juice and to low-
oil content (table 2),

10 COMMERCIAL FISHERIZS REVIEW Vol, 12, No, 10

Caught by Pole ; pH of Body | Percentage of quality, |
and Lined Juice . Protein of Meat&

Good

onnonowoodouv

3
3
2
3.
2
3
3
2

NOONOrRD -

A comparison of the quality of albacore tuna canned aboard a vessel with that
canned in a shore cannery shows nd significant difference (table 3),

Table 2 - Relationship of Crystal Formation to Body: Juice pH and
_ Fat Content of Winter Albacore Tuna

Caught by Pole pH of Body Percentage of Crystal |
and Lined/ Juice Fat Formation
° é No
W

Ww

Numbers in this colum identify samples consisting of one fish each.

Comparison of canned albacore tuna caught by the long-line method and by the
pole-and-line method shows no distinct difference in the color of the meat; how=
ever, a distinct difference in flavor can be noted, Also, the canned meat of the
inshore tuna is of good quality even if the oil content is low, although it is
slightly bluish in color,

PRESERVATION OF BAIT FISH: Anchovies and sardines are used as bait for skip=
jack fishing; sardines, f flying Tish, sauries, anchovies, cuttlefish and small

October 1950 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 11

macherel are used for tuna fishing, Whenever possible live fish is used for bait,
These fish are also preserved by freezing or by salting and are used to supplement

Table 3 — Comparison of Albacore Tuna Canned Aboard Ship and in Shore Canner

Canned Aboard Ship
3.67

7.32
12.86
1.67
1.33
14.85
5.97
vy] 3 29 " w
4.28 Pole and line
2.23 Long line
13.25 H -
6.14
Canned in Shore Cannery
0.91 Poor Long line
at ; 12 Ww w
0.92
1.50
Pe
3.07
8.54

1/Numbers in this column identify samples consisting of one fish each.
2/Quality is based on appearance, odor, and flavor of the canned meat.

the live bait or at times when live bait is not available, The best quality fish
are selected and are placed belly up in a pan for freezing, They are frozen in
blocks of about 30 pounds in weight: and are kept in cold storage until needed,
Prior to the beginning of the fishing operation, the block of frozen bait fish is
thawed by immersion in water or by exposure to the air, Im pole-and-line fishing,
the fish are used directly after thawing; but in long-line fishing, it is necessary
to salt the thawed fish in order that disintegration will not be too rapid after
the hooks have been baited and placed in the sea, The fresh bait fish may also be
dry-salted directly; the salted fish are then kept in cold storage until needed,

Table 4 - Summary of Observations Based on Studies of Winter Albacore Tuna

Physico-Chemical Fish Taken Mainly Fish Taken Mainl
Observations _ | By Pole and Line

By Long Line
DH Of, DOGVuAULCO sie elercieieiec eisieie ele
Color of cooked meat cecoccccevce

Flavor @eeeseeeeesoeserseseeseeese

Odor @eeeeeoeoeeeseseeneseseseres

Fat content eeoeereorecesreosecervece
CONEENE secccccccccccercvece

Less than 6.0
Pink
Good
Normal
High
Small

A little

Greater than 6.3
Bluish

Off

off

Low
Appreciable
Appreciable
Appreciable

12 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol, 12, No, 10

Table 5 = Chemical Analysis of Raw and Pre-cooked Albacore Tuna

eee | Fpegh....|. Fresh. Fish, Erocsoskea| Eee-cooked | seen ee
cceeuman rou a) ares Fish | Back Portion|Whole Fish|Back Portion |Whole Fish
4 % % , % Ny

Hot water soluble N
Amino nitrogen ee..
Ammonia N eccccecoce
actic acid sescece
1/Albacore tuna was landed at Ishinomaki on July 11 and stored for three days at
28° C.; the spoiled fish had a putrid odor.

Table 6 - Chemical Analysis of Different Portions of Pre-cooked Albacore Tuna

BL OLE aicieieisiorsleletelalelcleloleioveelsieieverstcleleletele
Otal NiItTOgZen cecccccccccccccccecce
© PFOCTSIN cecccvcccvcccescccccceces
Cold water soluble N eccocccccccccce
Amino Nitrogen coeccocescccccccsovce

onia N ODO OFC) DCO OHO OOO 0 OOO OOO) O

sh C9OHOCHSCHHLOHTHOHHHOTHSLOLTEEHHFOHHOO

Fat Ce

SOME JAPANESE SPECIALTY FISH PRODUCTS

KATSUOBUSHI: The most valuable
product from the skipjack is the "kat-
suobushi," or dried skipjack sticks.
The method of processing the skipjack
sticks is about the same as the one
described by Shapiro.*/ The procedure
is as follows:

Skipjack which weigh over one kan
(8.267 pounds) are usually filleted in-
to four pieces and are called "hombushi."
The smaller fish are filleted into two
pieces and are called "kamebushi." The
; fillets are placed in a cooking basket
5 about two feet in diameter and are
steamed for one hour. The cooked fil-
lets are smoked with hardwood smoke and
iried each day for a period of about
~~ three weeks, This reduces the weight

| of the fillets by 20 to 30 percent. The
smoked fillets are scraped to remove
she blackened surface and dried in the
INTO A COOKING VAT FOR STEAMING. ,THESE ARE , Sun for one day. The removal of fat
THEN SMOKED AND DRIED FOR MAKING KATSUOBUSH!. and the dehydration of the fish areac-

3/THE JAPANESE TUNA FISHERIES, REPORT NO. 104, NATURAL RESOURCES SECTION, GHQ, SCAP. U. S.

FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE FISHERY LEAFLET 297, P. 18, APRIL 1948,

October 1950 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 13

complished by placing the
fillets in a barrel where
hormal growth of Asperi-
gillus form on the sur-
face, scraping off the
mold, and drying in the
sun, This is repeated
until the skipjack sticks
are completely dehy-
drated, at which time
growth of the moldceases,
The dried skipjack sticks
can be kept rather in-
definitely at room tem-
perature without spoil-
ing, The sticks are
shaved, and the shavings
are used to make soup
stocks and to flavor
other dishes,

es » $ . ¥
OKARA * Pa ee 5 a . s&s
SHTOKARA: Skipjack FIGURE 7 - SMOKING BOILED SKIPJACK FILLETS. FILLETS ARE PLACED
viscera are used to make IN WIRE-BOTTOMED WOODEN RACKS AND STACKED FOR SMOKING ON TOP
"shiokara," a Japanese OF BRICK FIRE-BOX.

food product, The viscera are washed, cut into small pieces, and placed with some
acetic acid and salt in wooden vats, The mixture is allowed to stand until fer-
mentation has begun, The product is then ready for sale,

JAPANESE BYPRODUCTS

SQUALANE (C3 oH): Squalane is a special lubricating oil produced by the hy-
drogenation of an unsaturated hydrocarbon, squalene (C30 Hso), which is extracted
from the livers of shark living in the deep seas, The manufacturer claims the fol-
lowing properties for squalane:

a, Colorless, odorless, neutral reaction,
b. Pour point -61° C,; solidifying point below -65° C.

ec, Viscosity (Centi-stokes) at 0° C, 131.0
30° Cc, 26.9
50° c, 12.9

d. Viscosity index 224 (Viscosity pole-height 1,6)
e, Viscosity ratio in Indiana Oxidation Test 1,08
f. Flash point (Pensky-Maltens) 190° Cc,
g. Boiling point 248° C, (5 um, )

262° Cc, (10 m, )

272° A (15 mm, )
. Specific gravity d 4 0.8115
. Evaporation loss at110° C., 6 hours 0,39 percent
. Refractive index ng 1.4530

The hydrogenation of squalene takes place over a 4-hour period at a temperature
between 198° C, and 200° C. and at a pressure of between 5 to 10 atmospheres; nickel
precipitated on silica sand is used as the catalyst, Approximately 300 liters of
hydrogen are used per kilogram of liver oil, ‘The hydrogenated oil is treated by vac-
uum distillation, and the distillate boiling between 240° C.and 260° C,is taken as

14 COMVERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol, 12, No, 10

the desired fraction of the product, ‘his oil fraction is treated with aqueous caus-
tic soda to neutralize the fatty acids after which it is cooled to =1109 C., filtered,
and washed with ethyl alcohol, Finally the purified material is redistilled under a
vacuum of 5 mm, of mercury, and the distillate boiling at 248° C. constitutes the
finished product,

"Squalube B" is manufactured through a special treatment of squalane by wadien
the viscosity is increased, "Squalube B" has the following properties:

a, Neutral reaction

b, Viscosity (Centi-stokes) =20° Cc, 1460
ole (oe 259.1
508 ¢ 2h, 61
100° C. 6.7

ec, Viscosity index 147
d, Pour point -55° C

The principal uses for squalane and "squalube B" are:
A Lubricant for aeronautical instruments, meters and observation in-

struments for high altitude meterology, medical implements, watches, and
other general precision machinery,

Cp Standard viscosity oils,
si Base oil for anti-freezing grease,
LS Preparation of "squalin," which is squalane activated biochemically

and which is used as a medicine for tuberculosis,

INSULIN: One company has been producing insulin as a byproduct for about ten
years, and at the present time it produces about 60 to 70 percent of the total Japa-
ese production, This insulin is extracted from the islands of Langerhans of skip-=
jack, salmon, cod, and tuna, An islet weighs about 0.03 grams, and about one ine
ternational unit of insulin can be obtained from each fish, After the islands of
Langerhans are picked out frcem the internal organs of the fish, they are preserved
in a saturated solution of picric acid until the time of processing for the insulin,
The method for processing insulin is as follows:

Add silica sand and a small quantity of acetone to the islands of Langerhans;
then grind the mixture thoroughly and filter, Repeat this step using successive
small volumes of fresh acetone until an amount equivalent to about eight times that
of the weight of the solids has been used, The combined acetone extract is held at
room temperature for two to three hours and then centrifuged at 3,000 r.p.m, for
15 minutes, ‘The liquid layer is separated from the precipitate, which is discarded,

Next, the acetone is removed from the liquid layer under vacuum at 40° C, to
12°C, Ne the acetone is being removed, picric acetate and fat separates from the
residual solution, This mixture is centrifuged, the liquid layer is discarded, and
the remaining precipitate of picric acetate and fat is dissolved in a solution com-

posed of 25 parts of N HCl and 75 parts of ethyl alcohol, This alcohol-acid solu-
tion 1s centrifuged,

The clear solution from the centrifuge operation is poured slowly, with stir-
ring, into pure acetone, and hydrochloric acetate of insulin is precipitated, This

October 1950 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 15

precipitate is filtered, washed first with acetone, then with ethyl ether, and dried
in a vacuum dessicator. The washing with acetone and ether and the drying steps are
repeated. The hydrochloric acetate of insulin is dissolved in distilled water, the
pH is adjusted to 5.0 with hydrochloric acid, and the final product is put into ampules.

VITAMIN A OILS FROM FISH LIVERS: Sources: Vitamin A oils are extracted from
the livers of many different species of fish. In table 7 are listed the chief sources
of vitamin A oils. The minimum and maximum vitamin A potencies were obtained fromthe
analysis of a limited number of livers in the laboratory. The vitamin A potencies
listed under the heading "average" are the values obtained by averaging the data

from the analysis of the vitamin oils submitted for export and local sale and do not

represent the average value of the livers analyzed in the laboratory.

Table 7 = Oil andVitamins A and D Content of Fish Livers

a
Percent Veena A Sontent in I.U. Vitamin D Content
of Round Oil ie I.U.
Item Weight Content Miniaimt! [Neximnt! [ravoragel Per Gram of Oil
= £ r=

ALDACOTE cccccecccccccas
Bluefin ecccecccesesececes

IBOnNAtO ecccsecceseececces

3,900

2,700
orse mackerel and hokke =
Tewfish ecccscccceseccce 319,000.
BCkKETC]L cocvcceccvccscs 5,200
ebachi (big-eyed tuna). 59,200
leji (small tuna) secoce
OENUKL ecccccccccccececs
Bpearfish ecocscsccccces
Sperm whale weececccceee
5 ordfish @ceesscesseeee
Vellowfin tuna ececsesosee

5

U8 oe, sees

°
©
°
°
fe)
ro}

1 /Minimum and maximum potencies were obtained from laboratory analysis of livers. Average potency
was obtained from analysis of vitamin oils prepared for export and local sale.

Purchasing Procedure for Fish Livers: The liver-oil producers purchase the
fish livers on a speculative basis. Livers are separated according to species and
are placed in S-gallon cans. Buyers from the processing plants examine the livers,
guess at their value, and make a bid. The purchased cans of livers are usually fro-
zen at the receiving stations or at the company's cold-storage plant.

Processing Procedure: At the liver-oil plant, the frozen livers are thawed, put
through a meat chopper, and then a disintegrator. The ground liver material is di-
luted with one-half to one part by volume of water. The companies visited add enough
sodium hydroxide so that the pH of the mixture is between 9.0 and 11.0. The mixture
ten heated with steam up to the digestion temperature, which varied from 40° C. to
Shoe depending upon the kind of liver and upon the ideas of the company doing the
processing. The digesting material is stirred with the aid of paddles, which rotate
at speeds varying from 30 to 40 r.p.m., for a period of 350 to 60 minutes.

Cod, shark, and pollock liver oils are used as pick-up or "wash" oil for livers
of low-oil content to assure maximum yield of vitamin A from the raw material. These
oils have a vitamin A potency of about 1,000 to 10,000 units per gram of oil. Usually
10 percent by weight of pick-up oil is used for each "wash," but up to 20 percent has

16 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 12. Noe 10

been added on occasions. The "wash" oil is usually added to the mixture to pick up
the vitamin A after the digestion, but one company added the oil before the digestion.

The oil and aqueous liver material are allowed to separate by gravity; then the
oil is siphoned off. Some of the companies repeat the "washing" step with new pick-
up oil, Finally, the aqueous liver material is further diluted with hot water and
sent through centrifuges to recover the vitamin-containing oil.

Each batch of oil is tested for free fatty acid content, and if necessary there
is a treatment with a 15 percent solution of caustic soda to neutralize any excess
free fatty acid, This mixture is centrifuged to separate the aqueous soap solution
from the refined oil which is stored in large drums or tanks until sold,

Vitamin-A Tablet Manufacture: Several of the companies producing vitamin oils
from fish livers also manufacture vitamin-A tablets, The livers are ground and
dehydrated in-an oven under a vacuum of 600 mm, of mercury for three hours ata tem~
perature between 70° C, to 80° C.; two rotating rods mix and break up the liver
material during this dehydrating process, Next, sugar, milk, starch, stearic acid,
water, and spices are mixed with the liver powder for thirty minutes, This mixture
is dried in a vacuum oven for approximately two hours, and stamped into tablets
which are then covered with a sugar coating, Part of the vitamin A in the raw ma=-
terial is destroyed before the product is finished due to the processing conditions,

Report of Vitamin-A Research Projects: Research work on vitamin A has been car=
ried out at the fisheries experimental stations and at the universities, Experiments
are being carried out in the following projects:

ale Vitamin A content of the different portions of the fish is being deter-=
mined for the various species of fish, It is reported that the oil from
the intestines has a disagreeable taste, The vitamin-A content of the pyloric
caeca is generally high,

ae Work is being carried out on vitamin A concentration by the molecular
distillation method, The Japanese are using Hickman's apparatus and are now
advanced to the pilot-plant stage,

35 Studies are being made on the destruction of vitamin A during the proc-
essing andrefining stages of current manufacturing procedures,

[ne Studies are being made to correlate vitamin=A deficiency with diseases,
There is a high rate of incidence of vitamin-A deficiency among the tubercu-
losis patients,

5 Research on synthetic vitamin A and on antioxidants is being carriedout,
but no details on the work are available for this report,

FISH MEAL: Since the writer did not visit the fish meal plants in northern Japan,
the following is abstracted from a report on the processing methods for fish meal in
Japan by the Fisheries Division, Natural Resources Section, SCAP,

The fish reduction industry in Japan, in many instances, is very primitive and is
wasteful of both meal and oil, There are 5,809 fish reduction plants in Japan with an
average annual capacity of 4.6 tons of oil and 100 tons of meal per plant,. Only 202
of the plants can produce more than 4,4 tons per 10-hour day, The processing of fish
into meal and oil products is useful when gluts of (normal) distribution channels

October 1950 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 17

occur, Regardless of the quality of the meal and oil, this end use is considerably
better than using the fish for fertilizer in a raw state, When fish are buried in
the ground as fertilizer, the oils present in the fish make proteins less available
and retard the disintegration of the fish flesh, Generally five tons of fish are
required to produce one ton of fish meal, Oil is obtained only in proportion to the
amount of oil present in the body of the fish, This varies greatly according to the
species,

One of the most prevalent methods of manufacture of fish meal in use in Japan
is that of the small family-type of processing plant, These consist, in their sim-
plest form, of a cast iron pot about 3 feet to 4 feet in diameter and 3 feet deep
bedded in the sand at the edge of the beach, with a fire hole dug below the pot, A
wooden press is required, as well as a few rice straw mats and buckets, The fish
are placed in the pot, water is added and the whole cooked, allowed to cool, and the
oil skimmed off, The solids are pressed in the wooden press, which is merely a flat
base with a rectangular frame rising from it, A large screw with a flat base of the
same shape of the rectangular frame is suspended from the top, The screw is turned
by a wooden lever and presses the fish, This is very similar to hand-operated grape
presses for extracting juice for the manufacture of wine, The stickwater and oil
extracted from the fish settles in a pan under the press, and the oil is skinmed
off, The oil is collected in buckets, and the meal spread on the rice straw mats on
the beach to dry. The meal is used as fertilizer, but as all of the oil hasnot been
extracted, it is of poor quality, In some areas, where large fish catches occur,
this type of plant may be found located within 100 yards of another plant,

The larger factories vary considerably in type and efficiency, but all are rel-
atively crude in design and poor in performance by comparison with reduction plants
of other countries, Description of some of the larger plants are as follows:

ate A three-stage cooker complete with screw conveyor and continuous
screw press, This plant should be able to produce meal with 5 to 6
percent oil, Actual tests show the meal contains 13 to 18 percent oil.
This plant has three rotary driers 36 feet long and 6 feet in diameter,
These are direct-heat driers, the heat being derived from a coke fur-
nace, The meal is passed through two of the driers before it is ready
for grinding, Fuel consumption of this plant is one ton of coke per
ton of meal, The capacity of the factory is 37 tons of herring or 55
tons of sardines or mackerel per day, The yield of meal is 18 percent
of the raw fish weight,

23 An intermediate type plant is one in which the fish is boiled with
steam in open vats, pressed in hand-operated worm screw presses and
dried on trays with wire bottoms of graded wire mesh, Flues run be-
neath the floor, Im’one plant the sides of the drying shed were open,
resulting in a considerable loss of heat, The oil is recovered in
settling pans,

35 A plant which produces fish meal and oil as byproducts to a patented
process for production of imitation soybean sauce, The fish are boiled
with water in steam heated vats with mechanical agitation to give a thick
grey slurry, Boiling is at 90° C, for 30 to 60 minutes, The solids are
removed in basket centrifuges and dried in rotary driers heated by coke
flues, Some burning of the meal occurs at times in this type plant, Some
soot particles may contaminate the meal, The oil is recovered by Sharples-
type centrifuges; the heavy stickwater is treated with 2 percent hydro-
chloric acid, pressed in hydraulic presses and allowed to settle for 2
to 3 days, From this mixture the imitation soy sauce is made,

18 COMVERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. (12),) Now a0

POISONOUS FISH OF THE SOUTH SEAS

Dr, Yoshio Hiyama, professor at Tokyo University, participated in the study of
poisonous fish in the Marianas and Marshalls area during the period from July to
December 1941. The following information was obtained from interviews withDr, Hiyama
and from a translation by W, G, Van Campen+/ of Hiyama's book, Report of an Investi-

Since it was impossible to test all of the numerous species of fish found in
the Marianas and Marshalls areas, tests were made only on those which had been re~
ported poisonous, on those which closely resembled the reportedly poisonous species,
and on all species which appeared promising as food fish because of their abundance
and large size, The parts of the fish used in the animal-feeding tests were cooked
in a covered alumite cooker with an equal quantity of water, Mice, cats, and some
puppies were used as the experimental animals,

In view of the high temperatures prevailing and the lack of sufficient refrig=~
eration facilities in the South Seas, a study was made of the relationship between
putrefaction of the fish and toxicity, Muscle tissues varying in condition from
fresh to putrid from six species of fish generally considered mildly toxic were fed
to animals, Although some ill effects on the animals were observed, none of the
animals died in any case, A study of the case histories of fish poisoning in humans
showed that some incidences of poisoning occurred even when the fish were eaten soon
after they had been caught. Dr, Hiyama concluded that the poison is not produced by
the decomposition of the fish,

The organs which could be segregated and the various sections of the muscle tis-
sues from the fish being studied were fed to the animals, No definite results were
Obtained which would limit the location of the poison in the fish, It was also found
that the poison is easily extracted from the muscle tissues with water or alcohol and
that the strength of the poison in most cases was not affected by heating at 100° Cx
for 20 minutes,

Dr, Hiyama stated that a popular belief--that some species of fish which are
edible in Japan are poisonous in the South Seas--has a very wide circulation, How-
ever, he found species of fish in the South Seas which closely resemble those found
near Japan, and only by careful comparing of specimens was he able to distinguish
the difference between them, In most cases, the fish which closely resembled each
other were of the same genus but of entirely distinct species,

Another theory attributes the poison to the food that the fish eat, Since many
of the poisonous fish are found around the coral reefs, some people’ believe that fish
which feed on coral or eat coral animals are poisonous, Of the 45 reportedly-toxic
species studied by Dr, Hiyama, some fed on coral, some on small fish, others on large
fish, and still others on shellfish, No definite connection could be found between
the feeding habits of any poisonous fish and its toxicity,

Other workers have reported that in a number of species the toxicity of the poison
varied with the age of the fish and with the locality where they were caught, ‘The
toxicity of some fish is reported to vary with the season, and it is attributed to
some physiological causes related to spawning, Dr. Hiyama was unable to gather in-
formation to either prove or disprove these reports during the short period of time of
his investigation,

4/ TRANSLATOR, PACIFIC OCEANIC FISHERY INVESTIGATIONS, FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE.

October 1950 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 19

1.

2.

Chemical studies have been made of the poisonous fish caught in the vicinity
of Japan, and the reports were writtenin Japanese, A few of the articles were
translated into English and a digest of the articles are given here,

A report by Takahashi and Inoko,

The poison found in the ovary of the globefish, S, vermicularis is

easily dissolved in water and slightly soluble in dilute alcohol, It is
not soluble in the following: absolute alcohol, ether, chloroform, pe-
troleum ether, and amyl alcohol, The poisonous substance is not precipi-
tated by lead acetate nor by several kinds of alkaline reagents; it
passes through animal membrane easily, The poison is destroyed when
heated for a long time in either an alkaline or acid solution, The poison
is not like an enzyme, toxalbumin, nor other organic bases, The procedure
for the extraction of the poisonous substance is:

Wash fresh ovaries of globefish several times with ether
and absolute alcohol, Grind the ovaries and mix with distilled
water at room temperature, Add some lead acetate; filter and
discard the precipitate, Remove the excess lead acetate in the
filtrate by passing hydrogen sulphide gas through it and filter-
ing off the precipitate, To remove choline, add phosphotungstic
acid and mercuric chloride; filter and discard the precipitate,
Evaporate the filtrate to dryness under vacuum, Wash the dried
residue several times with absolute alcohol to remove impurities,
The product is a yellowish non=crystal substance, insoluble in
absolute alcohol, very poisonous, and contains a little inorganic
matter. The substance has not yet been identified,

Work done by Professor Tawara, Kyushu University,

The poison tetrodonin is found in the ovaries of S, chrysops,S, rubripes,

and S, lacepede, Tetrodonin is a colorless, neutral, needle-shaped crystal,

Tetrodoron acid is a white, resin-like substance, which is easily melted,

It is soluble in dilute alcohol; slightly soluble in absolute alcohol; and
insoluble in ether, chloroform, and carbon disulfide,

Sieb

The procedure for extraction of tetrodotoxin from ovariesof S, porphyreus
and S, vermicularis Sieb is:

Grind the ovaries of the fish and mix with hot water, Add
acetic acid to precipitate the protein, and filter, Concentrate
the filtrate, and filter, Add lead acetate and dilute ammonium
hydroxide; the poison is precipitated as a lead compound, Wash
the precipitate with ammonia solution, Remove the excess lead
with hydrogen sulfide, Concentrate the solution at a temperature
below 60° C, Add absolute alcohol to precipitate the poisonous
substance again; dry under vacuum, The residue is a brown resin-
like substance, Dissolve this residue in water and remove the
water-insoluble substances and decolorize the solution with acti-
vated carbon, Treat with the alcohol and ether, The residue is
a yellow resin-like substance,

Tetrodotoxin is similar to tetrodoron acid, except thatthe former

is about twice as poisonous as the latter, In order to be fatal, 4 mg,

20

3.

COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Volpel2yaNoselo

of tetrodotoxin is required per each kilogram of body weight of the
rabbit; 7 mg, of tetrodoron acid is required,

When tetrodotoxin is dissolved in a small quantity of water and al-
lowed to stand, neutral crystals which have a slightly sweet taste are
precipitated out, This substance has been identified as C,H, 0% and is
named tetrodopentose; it is quite similar to inosit C6Hi20 5 reported by
Scheer and Gallois, After removing the tetrodopentose, add AgCl to re-
move tetronin C H, ,Ng0>. Tetrodonin and tetrodopentose are not poison-
ous so that removal of these two leaves a purer and stronger poison-=
tetrodotoxin,

Another method of extraction:

Chop the ovaries of globefish and soak in a 3 percent
formalin solution, Heat to 80° C, to coagulate the protein
and filter, Lead acetate and dilute ammonium hydroxide are
added to the filtrate in order to precipitate the poison as
a lead compound, Filter and wash, Remove the excess lead
with hydrogen sulfide, Concentrate the filtrate using vacuun,
Add about three times as much methyl alcohol and filter, To
the filtrate add a solution of saturated lead acetate and
methyl alcohol and keep the solution neutral by adding am-
monium hydroxide, Filter the precipitate, To the filtrate
add a little ammonium hydroxide and an excess of methyl al-
cohol saturated with lead acetate to precipitate the poison,
Dry the precipitate at a temperature under 60° C, Dissolve
the precipitate in water and filter to remove the water-in-~
soluble impurities, Remove the excess lead with hydrogen
sulfide, Decolorize the solution with activated carbon,
Evaporate the solution until syrupy, Add alcohol and ether,
and tetrodotoxin is precipitated as a white, pure substance,

An article by Y, Suyehiro,

All types of animals were injected with tetrodotoxin, The globe
fish were not affected by the injections, but poisonous spiders were
killed, When a solution of tetrodotoxin was poured on the shell of a
hermit crab, it left its shell, The octopuses are killed by the in-
jection but other mollusca are not; neither are the animals of a lower
order tnan the mollusca, Snails are put into a coma but are not killed
even if the amount injected is large,

The tetrodotoxin is carried by the blood streamafter it is injected
into an organism, The author tied the leg of a frog so that the blood
circulation was stopped, The frog was injected with tetrodotoxin “but

it did not die, When the string was cut and the blood allowed to cir-
culate, the frog died,

October 1950 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 21

RESEARCH
IN SERVICE LABORATORIES

a MLL a ee van

September 1950

PRESERVATION: Samples of preserved salmon eggs have been assayed at weekly
intervals to determine the effect of the preservative on the riboflavin, niacin,
biotin, and vitamin Bj. content. No significant changes have as yet occurred.

x * *

FRESH FISH: Three additional species of Pacific rockfish were tested for
palatability. These were S. saxicolus, S. paucispinis, and S. ruberimis. The
first of these appears to have palatability comparable to the S. alutus. The
last two are of somewhat inferior palatability and apparently are in the same
category as S. diploproa.

* Ok O*
ANALYTICAL METHODS: The presence of hydrochloric acid, acetic acid, and
formic acid in acetone used to extract oil from fish meal by refluxing was com

pared. Use of formic acid gave the most complete extraction of ether soluble
material by this method.

* * *
REFRIGERATION: Organoleptic tests were carried out on several of the Pa-

eific rockfish species which had been in cold storage for one month. No adverse
changes had occurred in any of the species after this short storage period.

* * *

Pink salmon fillets were prepared for further freezing and storage studies.

x * OX

A series of red salmon (0. nerka) samples were frozen for further study of
the effect of freezing and storage-on the quality of the canned product. Two
additional variables are being studied:

(1) A comparison is being made of the effect of storing the
glazed salmon in the round at -20° F, with that of salmon
stored at 0° F, during a period of 24 weeks.

(2) A comparison is being made of the effect of quick and
slow freezing on the quality of the final canned product,

* *

22 ' COMMERCIAL FISHERINS REVIEW Vol. 12, No. 10

Acceptable palatability scores are still being obtained for all lots of frozen
oysters treated in various ways with ascorbic acid and glazes. The oysters have
now been in 0° F, storage for five months. Though the scores are showing some va-
riation between lots, as well as having varied from month to month during this pe-
riod of storage, no particular trend has as yet become evident. Slight darkening
of the oysters has occurred, but the color is no worse than that found in fresh
oysters from certain areas.

As an approach to the problem on
studies of the toughening of blue crab
meat, it was decided to investigate the
effect of freezing on the pH and respi-
ration of the meat. Samples of frozen
blue crab meat were prepared by approxi-
mating as closely as possible the process
used by certain commercial crab-meat
packers. After one month of storage,
there was no detectable change in the
taste, color, odor, or tenderness of the
frozen crab-meat samples, nor were there
any Significant changes in pH or respi-
ration.

Additional funds have been made
available for carrying out research on
freezing North Atlantic fish species at sea(freezing-fish-at-sea project). More
detailed and comprehensive studies are to be initiated on the methods of freezing
and storing whole fish at sea, and the effect on the fillets cut from these fish
and refrozen (frozen whole fish will be defrosted ashore, filleted, and the fil-
lets refrozen), Pilot-plant and commercial-scale operations are planned as soon
as personnel are recruited and equipment is made available.

* * OX

SANITATION AND BACTERIOLOGY: Additional funds have been made available to
the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission for continued operation of the
project to study the extent and effect of pollution on the marine fisheries of
the Atlantic Coast. These studies are being carried out under the ‘supervision
of the Chief of the Service's Boston Fishery Technological Laboratory. The work
for this fiscal year will consist of the completion of the exploratory studies
in the Atlantic Coast States and the submission of the reports to health and fish-
eries authorities,

*x OK x

LABORATORY NOTES: The construction of the second floor of the Ketchikan
(Alaska) Fishery Products Laboratory has been completed. The additional facil-
ities include a modern test kitchen, laboratories, photographic dark room and
offices.. An "open house" was held at the laboratory on September 21 to give the
general public an opportunity to inspect the new facilities and to become better
acquainted with the work of the laboratory. Operated jointly by the Fish and

October 1950 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 235

Wildlife Service and the Fisheries Experimental Commission of Alaska, the basic
aims of the laboratory are:

1. Improvement of existing fishery products and processes.
2. Development of new fishery products from existing fisheries.

5. Development of new and especially off-season fisheries.

* * *

MAYAGUEZ FISHERY LABORATORY TRANSFERRED TO UNIVERSITY OF PUERTO RICO: The
Service's Fishery Research Laboratory and facilities at Mayaguez, Puerto Rico,
has been transferred for an indefinite period (on a loan basis) to the University
of Puerto Rico in the same city. The University will use the laboratory for ma-

rine research in connection with University programs,

The funds of the Service's Branch of Commercial Fisheries have not been suf-
ficient to make it possible to operate the laboratory on other than a very skele-
ton basis for some time. It is felt that the most benefit can be derived by loan-
ing the laboratory and facilities to phe University.

ESS

CANNED CRAB INDUSTRY OF JAPAN

Crab canning in Japan dates from 1880, when a sample of canned
erab meat, produced in the Fisheries Laboratory at Nemro, Hokkaido,
was exhibited at the Second Industrial Exposition in Tokyo. The
first crab cannery was established in 1884 in Fukui Prefecture.
This event was followed bythe opening of several other canneries in
the immediate area, and the industry flourished briefly. However,
the crab canned there, the zuwai-gani (Chionectes opilio), was of
poor quality and was far inferior for canning to the taraba-gani
(Paralithodes camtschatica) of the northern regions. With the
establishment of canning factories in Hokkaido, Karafuto, and
Kamchatka after the Russo-Japanese War, canning activities in the
Fukui district ceased.

The Hokkaido industry was centered near the city of Otaru until
1891, but with the increasing demand for the superior taraba crab,
canneries spread rapidly northward along the coast. Canned crab
was exported to the United States for the first time in 1906. The
annual pack in this area increased from 37,4357 cases in 1916 to
172,885 cases in 1934. As early as 1922, fear of overproduction
and evidence of depletion of the supply caused the Government to
take restrictive measures which resulted in the amalgamation of all
canneries under one controlling organization. The control of the
industry changed hands several times until 1941, when the Government
ordered all land-based crab and salmon canneries in the northern
Pacific area placed under control of the Nichiro Fishing Company.

--Fishery Leaflet 314

2h, COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 12, No. 10

DEVELOPMENTS

Additions to the Fleet of US. Fishing Vessels

First documents as fishing craft were received by 87 vessels of 5 net tons and
over during July 1950--40 less than in July 1949, the Treasury Department's Bureau
of the Customs reports. California led with 26 vessels, followed by Washington
with 12, and Texas, Florida, and Alaska with 8 vessels each.

A total of 529 vessels were documented, during the first seven months of 1950
compared with 622 during the same period in 1949.

___Vessels Obtaining Their First Documents as Fishing Craft Jul 1950

Seven mos. ending with July | Total |
Section 1949 1950 1949 1949

Hawaii Oe Oe ee ee ee ee)

Araes
2
3
9
25
38
8
i
[8%]

Total e@eeeaovnevenecdee 0080
Vessels have been assigned to the various a SeuIGae on the =e of their
home port.

Atlantic Coast Marine Fisheries Pollution Study /

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission is conducting a study and in-
vestigation on the extent and effect of pollution on the marine fisheries of its
member States. Specifically, the program has for its objective an over-all study
of the problem and determination of the extent and effect of pollution, of indus-
trial and domestic origin, upon the economy of the fishing industry of the Atlantic
Coast States.

Under provisions of Public Law 845 (Highty-First Congress, First Session), the
Commission received a grant—in-aid from the U. S. Public Health Service making it
I/THIS 1S AN ABSTRACT OF A REPORT (“REPORT ON PROGRESS OF THE POLLUTION STUDY PROJECT")

PRESENTED BY THE SANITATION COMMITTEE OF THE ATLANTIC STATES MARINE FISHERIES COMMISSION
AT THE MEETING OF THE COMMISSION HELD JUNE 8, 1950, AT OLD POINT COMFORT, VA,

October 1950 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 25

possible to carry out this work and the program was started in December of last
yeare

Administrative operations connected with this study are conducted by the Com-
mission, while technical direction of the survey is under the supervision of the
U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, acting in its official capacity as the primary
research agency for the Commission.

For practical purposes, the study was arbitrarily divided into two closely
related phases, with the third and final phase presenting the over-all findings
compiled from information gathered during the’preliminary surveys. A brief de-
scription of these steps is as follows:-

1. RECORD OF PREVIOUS POLLUTION ACTIVITIES AND CURRENT
STATUS OF PROBLEM: A review in each state of all previous ac-
tivities relating to pollution and the fisheries, including a
report containing presentation of the facts evolving from the
study. This will reveal what remedies have been proposed to
abate or prevent pollution, to what extent they have been
adopted, and the resulting effect upon the fisheries. In short,
an inventory and analysis of the current pollution situation
relative to marine fisheries.

will be made to determine the extent of the fisheries involved,
and to obtain realistic estimates on the amual monetary loss
directly attributal to pollution. Fishermen, fish processors,
state and municipal officials will be interviewed to obtain
pertinent data relative to the problem. The anticipated re-
sults accruing from this part of the study would bring to the
attention of the proper officials the value of the fisheries
affected and assure proper recognition of the industry in the
event of subsequent formulation of pollution-abatement programs.

3. ASSEMBLY OF FINDINGS: The objective will be to assemble
all findings resulting from work undertaken in the first two
phases of the study. This will include a historical sunmary
and report on the current status of all fisheries pollution
activities; evaluation of the efficacy and urgency of current
sectional programs with recommendations and suggestions to the
proper authorities that action be taken for corrective measures,
where such are indicated to be necessary.

SUMMARY OF ACTIVITIES: Work during the first five months this year has been
directed towards completion of the initial study phase, covering the collection of
pertinent material from federal, state, and interstate agencies and summarization
of these data into reports on individual states. Starting in Massachusetts in
January, field work has been conducted in twelve of the member states, with Penn-
sylvania, New York, and New Jersey still to be covered.

Preliminary reports have been compiled for Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts,
Rhode Island and North Carolina, while data from Virginia, Florida, and Maryland is
available for completion of subsequent reports.

26 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 12, No. 10

California Canning Industry Requested Not To Use Subtilin

in Food Preservation

The California canning industry has been requested by that State's Bureau of
Food and Drug Inspections, Department of Public Health, not to use subtilin for
preserving low acid food products until more information has been developed on
this method.

The Bureau of Agricultural and Industrial Chemistry, United States Department
of Agriculture, has done considerable work on subtilin at its Western Regional Re-
search Laboratory in Albany, California, and on December 29, 1949, released a report
suggesting the use of subtilin supplemented by mild heat for preserving foods.
Since this release, their work has been given wide publicity and a number of food
processors have expressed great interest in the subtilin-mild heat method for pre-
serving food.

Following the December 29th release, the National Canners Association labora-
tories undertook a study of the effect of subtilin supplemented by mild heat onfood
spoilage organisms-—including Cl. botulinum. Test packs of a variety of vegetable
products to whitch subtilin had been added in the amounts used in the tests at the
Western Regional Laboratories were inoculated with suitable spoilage organisms, and
heated for the recommended time. The results showed marked variations in the in-
itial sensitivity of different spoilage organisms to varying concentrations of sub-
tilin, but after incubation the majority of the organisms had grown and spoiled the
food.

At the Cannery Board meeting on June 21, 1950, Dr. K. R. Meyer called attention
to the serious health hazard involved in the use of this method for the preservation
of low acid foods. The Board directed the Department to advise California canners
that, based upon the experimental findings to date, no early application of this
method of preservation could be expected—particularly for products packed under
California State Cannery Inspection.

The investigations are being continued to determine under what conditions, if
any, subtilin might be made destructive against food spoilage organisms, including

Cl. botulinum.

Federal Aid Branch to Handle Fishery and Wildlife Restoration Programs

Administration of the Dingell-Johnson program, which provides Federal aid for
State sport fisheries beginning July 1, 1951, will be handled by the Branch of Fed-
eral Aid of the Fish and Wildlife Service, according to an announcement made on
September 12 by the Secretary of the Interior.

The new work will be merged with the administrative activities now performed
by the Service under the Pittman-Robertson Federal aid to wildlife program which
has been in operation since 1938.

"By placing the responsibility of handling both these cooperative programs
in a single Federal Aid organization, augmented by fishery specialists qualified

October 1950 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 27

toappraise the various projects submitted by the States, we believe that the two
lines of endeavor can be administered with the greatest economy and efficiency,"
Albert M. Day, Service director, said.

Plans are being worked out for a series of meetings between Service officials
and groups of officials responsible for fishery work in the States for the purpose
of discussing the new law and the types of activities which will be approvable
under the language of the law. This same procedure was followed prior to inaugura-
tion of work under the Pittman-Robertson Act.

Growing out of these discussions, rules and regulations required by the law
for adoption by the Secretary of the Interior will be drafted and a fishery policy
manual prepared for issuance to the cooperating States. The Service expects to
have all of this accomplished by early next spring.

The Dingell—Johnson Federal Aid to Fisheries Act (Public Law 681, 8lst Congress)
was approved by the President on August 9, 1950. Funds to carry out the purposes
of the act, however, will not be available until an ee aa thsohs is made by the

Congress ees the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1951.4)

1/SEE COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW, SEPTEMBER 1950, P. 26.

Federal Purchases of Fishery Products

DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY, JULY 1950: A total of 1 » 326,003 pounds (valued at
$527,611) of fresh and frozen fishery products were purchased by the Army Quarter-
master Corps during July this year for the U. S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air
Force for military feeding (see Table). Purchases during July, as compared with
the previous month, were down 13.5 percent in quantity and 16.1 percent in value;
and compared with July 1949, this July's purchases were 9 percent lower in quantity,
but 9 percent higher in value.

Purchases of Fresh and Frozen Fishery Products by Department of the Army
July and the First Seven Months, 1949 and 1950)

Qcoraran re Tey VALUE
Er a Jul
1949 1950 1949

Purchases for the first seven months this year were still below the correspond-
ing period a year earlier--the quantity purchased was 17.6 percent lower, but the
value was 2.8 percent higher.

28 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 12, Noe 10

Great Lakes Fishery Investigations

weirs and traps operated within and without the first Experimental Control Zone,
according to the Chief of the Service's Great Lakes Fishery Investigations. These
devices took a total of 31,518 spawning-run sea lampreys in Michigan streams. Seven
weirs and traps operated in Wisconsin, on a cooperative basis with the Wisconsin
Conservation Department, captured 16,391 sea lampreys. One weir and trap operated
during a portion of the season in Indiana took 896 sea lampreys.

Of 2,853 migrant sea lampreys tagged from a blockaded run in the Cheboygan
River, 291 (10.2 percent) have been recovered to date at distances as great as 150
miles from the point of tagging. Data on weir operations and the tagging experiment
are currently being tabulated and analyzed.

Field surveys to locate and catalog actual and potential sea lamprey spawning
streams were conducted throughout the second quarter this year in the Lake Superior
basin and will probably be continued until well into the fall. Reports from the
survey parties and from other sources indicate that the lamprey is more firmly es-
tablished in Lake Superior than heretofore suspected. Plans are progressing for
installation of an electric fish screen and a checking weir and trap in the Chocolay
River, a tributary of Lake Superior, near Marquette, Michigan, known to have a siz-
able spawning run.

Fishing operations were begun in July in the inshore waters of Lake Huron be-
tween Hammond Bay and Cheboygan, Michigan, for the purpose of obtaining from es-
tablished sampling areas data on the abundance and degree of scarring of fish at-
tacked by the sea lamprey. All lamprey-scarred fish taken are brought into the
laboratory for studies, currently under way, on the feeding habits of the sea lam-
prey .

Reconstruction and improvement of control devices and installations have been
carried on with the object of refining these structures for more efficient and eco-
nomical operation.

Spot checks made of 19 south-shore tributaries of Lake Superior between
Munising, Michigan, and Cornucopeia, Wisconsin, revealed evidence of sea lamprey
spawning in three of them (all between Munising and Marquette).

——
Gl "

Gulf Exploratory Fishery Program

"OREGON" LOCATES GROOVED SHRIMP (Cruise No. oye A series of shrimp-trawl
drags were made by the Service's Gulf exploretory fishery vessel Oregon on its
third cruise from July 5 to August. 31.

The Oregon operated during this period in waters south of the Alabama-Missis-
sippi coasts in depths from 10 to 232 fathoms. Most of this area lies east of the
delta of the Mississippi.

Observations on Grooved Shrimp: Exploratory drags were made with 40-foot and
55-foot shrimp trawls. A single cable and a bridle were used with weighted trawl

October 1950 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 29

doors. After locating shrimp, drags were made with a 100-foot shrimp trawl (12-
foot trawl doors set with two cables were used). The style of rig used was simi-
lar to that employed extensively by larger shrimp boats in the northwest Gulf area.

Relatively higher concentrations of grooved shrimp were found at night with
the 40-foot trawl between 10 and 20 fathoms and between 35 and 50 fathoms, and no
grooved shrimp were taken in deeper water in this series of dragsek The grooved
shrimp taken in the 10-to 20-fathom range were mixed Peneus aztecus and Peneus
duorarum, and the smaller ones were mostly P. aztecus. In the 35-to 50-fathom
range, the grooved shrimp taken were all Peneus aztecus running from 7 to 14 count,
heads on.

A series of five night drags in 36 to 45 fathoms with the 100-foot shrimp
trawl produced shrimp at a rate of 128 pounds per hour. These drags were made at
widely spaced intervals between longitude 88° W. and longitude 88° 50' W., and
indicate that the shrimp in the area were widely scattered in these depths. Inone
drag, the weight of shrimp exceeded the weight of scrap, but a ratio of approxi-
mately one pound of shrimp to three pounds of scrap was usual in the 35-to 50-
fathom depth range.

Of 52 drags made in this series, trawls were damaged six times and one trawl
was lost. Rocks or coral were encountered in 48 fathoms.

Observations on other Shrimp: As expected the white shrimp were only taken
in small quantity, since the shallower water drags were made at night. None were
taken in more than 20 fathoms. Try-drags in 195 and 232 fathoms produced 8% and
12 pounds of a bright red species of shrimp large enough to be of possible commer-
cial interest.

Hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico in August restricted the exploratory fishing
operations of the vessel. Although the Oregon did not receive any damage from the
storms, much time was lost in returning to port forhurricane preparations.

250 fathoms. The greater amount of time will be spent in fishing west of the Mis-
sissippi River.

The vessel left on September 11 and is expected to return to Pascagoula on
October 2..

Investigations will be carried out on grooved shrimp in depths greater than
25 fathoms in order to determine whether the stocks of large grooved shrimp (Peneus
aztecus), found in depths from 36 to 50 fathoms east of the Mississippi River, are
also present west of the Mississippi and to determine the extent and concentration
of such stocks. Work also will be continued on related problems concerning the
fishing of grooved shrimp indeeper waters.

A preliminary report from the vessel indicated that during the early part of
September hurricanes in the general area of operations caused interruptions to the
fishing effort, but also resulted in interesting observations regarding the migra-
tion of shrimp under storm conditions. It was found that populations of large brown
shrimp, Peneus aztecus, found in 38 to 50 fathoms south of the coast of Mississippi

30 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 12, No. 10

in late August, moved into water 7 to 10 fathoms shallower following the hurricane
that approached that Coast on August 30.

In order to verify the indications previously obtained by exploratory drags
that stocks of shrimp in deeper water may be large, the Oregon fished continuously
one night in 32-34 fathoms in a position centered at 28°56.5' N. latitude, and 899
36.5! W. longitude. This fishing effort resulted in a catch of 2,700 pounds of
12- to 14-count heads—on shrimp.

Limit of Expansion for East Coast Rosefish Fishery Reached

Rosefish (Sebastes marinus), an East Coast spiny-rayed fish which is filleted
and marketed. as "ocean perch," " now exceeds the once-dominant haddock in the amount
landed. From a small beginning in the mid—30's, the catch has exceeded 327 million
pounds for the past two years.

This species is one
which is widely distributed
over the northern Atlantic
and is taken in large quan-
tities by the European fish-
ery as well as by our own,
the Section of Marine Fish-
eries of the Service's
Branch of Fishery Biology
reports. The European fish
average much larger insize
than do those on the Atlantic
Coast of America.

The catch has been main-—
ROSEFISH (SEBASTES MARINUS) tained by expanding the fish-
ing area for this species
from the original Gulf of Maine operation to include the more distant Nova Scotian
grounds. As the reserve of older fish has been removed from the local grounds, the
fleet has been forced farther afield until now the apparent limit of expansion has
been reached.

Being a very slow-growing fish, the rosefish requires something like 10 years
to attain sexual maturity. Because of this, the rate of replacement is slow, and
sustained heavy catches, after the accumulated stock of older fish has been removed,
seems unlikely. A decline in production of this valuable resource seems inevitable.

October 1950 COMMERCIAL FISHERIAS REVIEW 31

North Atlantic Fishery Investigations
"ALBATROSS III" COMPLETES FISH POPULATION CENSUS ON SOUTH@RN NW. ENGLAND BANKS

(Cruise No. 38): Completion of a census of fish populations on the southern New
England banks was the purpose of Cruise No. 38 (August 21-30) of the Albatross III,

research vessel of the Service's North Atlantic Fishery Investigaticns.

During this cruise, 79 half-hour tows were made at 58 stations from Cape Ann
to Block Island. A concentration of large rosefish (redfish) was found 35 to 50
miles east of the Highlands. The catch of large and scrod haddock was very poor.
Baby haddock (young-of-the-year) were taken in large numbers southeast of Nantucket
Lightship in 60-75 fathoms, south of No Mans Land in 35 fathoms, and south of Block
Island in 35-45 fathoms.

The taking of these small fish may indicate a good year class. In 1948, baby
haddock were taken as far west as Ambrose Lightship and at the present time this
1948 year class is very abundant, e.g., the recent large landings of scrod at the
Boston Fish Pier.

Data on the size, numbers, and weight of all species of fish, bottom temper-—
atures, and bottom samples were also obtained at each station.

TAGGING HADDOCK ABOARD THE ALBATROSS Ji}, RESEARCH VESSEL OF THE SERVICE'S NORTH ATLANTIC
FISHERY |NVESTIGATIONS.

32 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 12, No. 10

fishing produced lively fish which made possible this record tagging operation.

The biologists are confident that these fish have survived the tagging operations
and will be recaptured in the future in large enough numbers to determine much about
their migration routes.

Fishermen and: fish handlers are urged to be on the lookout for these tagged
haddock which bear red tags, 1/2 inch in diameter, on their left-hand gill covers.
The Service will pay $1.00, for the return of each tag and would appreciate infor-
mation as to where and when each fish was caught.

One of the difficulties encountered in getting these haddock back to the bot-
tom alive was numerous sharks that appeared after each tow and ate the tagged fish
as they were released. Of three sharks taken on a hand line, one was found tohave
40 scrod haddock in its stomach. Following this discovery, various methods were
used to discourage the sharks, and in one 30-hour tagging period, 68 sharks were
shot, of which 58 are believed to have been killed.

As usual en route to the haddock grounds, surface lines were trolled for pe-
lagic fish and on this cruise a large concentration of bluefin tuna were encountered.
About 58 fish were hooked while steaming along the Southwest Part of Georges and 25
that averaged approximately 11 pounds apiece were landed. This is the first record
of concentrations of tuna in this area to the knowledge of the personnel of the
vessel...

The Albatross III headed for port whenhurricane warnings were received, but was
able to get no closer than 60 miles off Race Point. The vessel successfully rode

out thehurricane with gale and hurricane winds up to over 100 m.p.h. on September 2 _
and 12, and then continued on to Woods Hole.

G Je>*

North Pacific Exploratory Fishery Program

of the Service's exploratory fishing vessels. The vessel operated during themonth
from Cape St. Elias in the Gulf of Alaska to Cape Blanco in southern Oregon.

Only scattered tuna were caught in Alaskan waters. These were found 50 to 70
miles offshore in the Forester Island to Cape Bartolome area, and were taken in a
surface-water temperature of 55° F. The amount of warm water in the Alaskan area
was found to be very limited and decidedly affected by meteorological conditions.
Following storms in the area of operations, surface temperatures were found to be
several degrees lower.

During most of the month, albacore were still being taken, often in good quan-
tities, by the trollers fishing off the Queen Charlotte Islands in northern British
Columbia, but these fish did not penetrate in any quantity the barrier of colder
water to the northward in the Alaskan area,

In working to the southward as far as Cape Blanco, favorable water temperatures
as high as 62° F. were the rule, but latest reports stated that tuna seemed gener-
ally absent from the area. Indications of feed or birds were also extremely scarce.
On the southward phase of the operations, the vessel did not find tuna in any quan-
tity south of Cape St. James in the Queen Charlottes.

October 1950 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 33

Several days were spent fishing long-line gear on the new seamontl/ located
280 miles west of Willapa Bay on the Washington Coast. The location of the seamount
is 46°44! N. latitude, 130947! W. longitude. Good catches of red rockfish (Sebas—
todes ruberrimus) were again made at 70 fathoms. No concentration of halibut was
found, although three good-sized prime halibut were taken. Gear set at 100-110
fathoms came up clear, indicating fairly good bottom. Possibilities for trawling
the grounds remain ve uestionable.
I/SEE COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW, AUGUST 1950, P. 18.

Pacific Oceanic Fishery Investigations

"HENRY O'MALLEY" SCOUTS FOR BAIT AND FISHES FOR TUNA (Cruise No. IV): The
Henry O'Malley on its Cruise No. Tv (July 1-August 30) scouted for bait in the
waters of French Frigate Shoals and Midway Island; worked Canton Island lagoon for
bait; made a preliminary bait reconnaissance at Hull Island; and conducted tuna
fishing around Canton, Birnie, and Enderbury islands (in the Phoenix Group), and near
Kingman Reef (Line Islands) on the return trip. Operational difficulties forced the
Henry O'Malley, a research vessel of the Service's Pacific Oceanic Fishery Investi-
gations, to Honolulu two weeks ahead of schedule.

The islands at French Frigate Shoals were scouted for bait on July 4 and 5 with
no success. Large numbers of larval fish wete seen which were identified as immature
piha (round herring).

Baiting operations were conducted at Midway Island over a period of five days,
approximately 422 buckets of bait fish were caught. They consisted of piha (Spratel-
loides delicatulus), iao (Pranesus insularum), aholehole (Kuhlia sandvichensis),
weke or goatfish (Pseudopeneus pleurostigma), and mullet (iMugil spe). This bait
was caught during the day with 40- and 80- fathom seines in both shallow and deep
water.

All the piha died or were lost through the screens (some fish were very small)
en route to Canton Island. Other species lived well in the bait tanks andsuffered
only a small mortality.

At Canton Island baiting activities were conducted in Canton lagoon for a pe-
riod of one week, during which time a total of approximately 125 buckets of bait
were caught in shallow water with a 40-fathom seine. This bait consisted of mullet,
weke or goatfish (Mulloidichthys auriflamma), iao (Atherina ovalaua), and asnapper
(Lutianus vaigiensis). Bait was rather scarce here, and the distance for transfer-
ring it to the vessel was from 1-2} miles in a coral-studded lagoon. Baiting ac-
tivities could be conducted with a force 4 easterly wind blowing but anything stronger
than this curtailed all operations.

A preliminary bait reconnaissance was made of the lagoon at Hull Island. Only
small scattered schools of mullet were observed.

Bait Fishing: In the Phoenix Islands, the weather was generally unfavorable
for fishing activities, with usually an easterly wind of greater than Beaufort force
4 prevailing, and swells from 10-15 feet high outside the lee of the islands.

Near Canton Island, a total of 31 small, scattered, fast-moving schools of

34 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 12, No. 10

skipjack and yellowfin, located by feeding birds, were approached and chummed, but
only nine skipjack, of approximately 25 pounds each, were caught with pole and line
in this area, due to the inability of drawing fish into racks by chumming. Five
small schools of tuna were observed at Birnie Island and six small schools were seen
at Enderbury Island. These were subsurface schools brought up by trolling jigs.
During the one day at Birnie Island, approximately 2,100 pounds of two-pole yellow-
fin tuna were caught from one school, and on the following day at Enderbury Island,
a catch was made of approximately 1,600 pounds of one-pole yellowfin tuna fram one
school. The weather during these two days of fishing was good. There were no in-
dications of any large amount of tuna around any of these islands, and of the schools
worked it was found difficult or impossible, in most cases, to chum the fishin close
to the stern of the vessel. Also, large number of sharks in the area tended to dis—
perse the schools when chummed.

The vessel left Canton Island for Honolulu via Palmyra and Kingnan Reef on Au-
gust 20, and only one morning ‘was spent scouting for tuna at each place. Several
small schools of both yellowfin and skipjack were observed around Kingman Reef, and
one of these schools yielded approximately 260 pounds of one-pole yellowfin tuna
and 350 pounds of rainbow runners, before all of the remaining bait was expended.
Numerous sharks came close to the stern of the vessel causing the tuna to disperse
and submerge.

Other Activities: Surface trolling was conducted during each day of travel
from sunrise until sunset; fish were observed and caught mainly near the island
areas, but some were seen up 400 miles offshore.

A good series of morphometric measurements of yellowfin tuna was collected in
the Phoenix Group for comparison with other areas as part of the study of racial
differentiation of this species. Stomach contents and ovaries of a considerable
number were also preserved for use in food-habits and spawning studies.

Series of subsurface temperature observations were taken across the equatorial
counter-equatorial current system both en route to and returning from the Phoenix
Groupe These will enable the oceanographers to determine the positions of the
current boundaries at this season as part of the study of the variation of this
major current system, and its relationship to productivity of the sea.

"HUGH M, SMITH" STUDIES ABUNDANCE OF TUNA SPAWN AND NEW DEVICE (Cruise No. VI):
The primary mission of the early part of Cruise VI (August 18-September 5) of the
Hugh M. Smith was to sample the waters in the vicinity of the Hawaiian Islands for
tuna larvae and eggs in order to determine the areas and depths of greatest abundance
of tuna spawn. The vessel, one of three research vessels operated. by the Service's
Pacific Oceanic Fishery Investigations, in addition took measurements of the forces
and angles involved in towing a system of three plankton nets on a 1/i, inch cable

to furnish data for computing levels at which the nets were fished.

The latter portion of the vessel's cruise was for the purpose of determining
the operational characteristics of bronze high-speed depressors for use with sub-
surface collecting equipment, and testing their practicability for high-speed deep
trolling for tuna. The device used is shaped to exert a downward pull when towed
through the water, acting like a kite in reverse. Although it weighs only 30 pounds
in air and less in water, it exerted a 400-pound downward pull at a speed of 83
knots. The depressors proved stable and capable of being towed at depths up to 25
fathoms and at a speed of 8 to 9 knots. From September 1 to September 5 the vessel
did some deep trolling with a single lure attached to a depressor at speeds of

October 1950 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 35

between 53 and 7 knots and a depth of 100 feet in the vicinity of Waianae, Oahu,
and Penguin Bank, Molokai. No fish were taken by this means.

A continuous watch was kept for schools ami signs of tuna while running during
the day. The greatest number of schools (skipjack) were seen in the waters lying
to the north of the Island of Kauai. Night-light fishing with a 200-watt submarine
incandescent light and dip nets was conducted when sea and other conditions permitted
for the purpose of collecting juvenile tunas and tuna-food organisms.

. y.
—=_
San

Service to Make Massachusetts Seafoods Film

The colorful commercial fishery fleets of Massachusetts will figure in a new
educational motion picture which the Fish and Wildlife Service is planning to pro-
duce next summer, according to an announcement made early in September.

The film, to be financed by the State of Massachusetts and the Massachusetts
seafood industry, will be produced and distributed under the direction of the Serv—
ice's Branch of Commercial Fisheries. It wiil deal with major phases of commercial
fishing in Massachusetts. Tentatively titled "Seafoods from Massachusetts," the
16-mm. sound and color film is planned to run about 25 minutes.

The Gloucester fishing fleet landing ocean perch, the haddock and whiting op-
erations of the trawler fleet from Boston Fish Pier, the scallop draggers of New
Bedford, the Provincetown draggers, and the lobstermen and shellfish fishermen along
the Massachusetts coast offer many opportunities of portraying the State's fisheries.

To plan the film's production, a motion picture advisory group, with members
representing the fishing industry of New Bedford, Boston, and Gloucester, and the
Service, has been established by the Massachusetts Fisheries Committee appointed
by Governor Dever.

The Fish and Wildlife Service will supervise the filming of the picture, and
distribute prints of the movie through its distribution centers and through private
film libraries.

"Shipbuilders of Essex" Awarded First Prize at Venice Film Exhibition

Among the U. S. Government films awarded first prizes at the Eleventh Inter-
national Exhibition of Cenematographic Art at Venice, Italy, August 8 toSeptember 10,
1950, was Shipbuilders of Essex, in the technical films class (one of several
classes), according to a State Department press release. This film shows skilled
craftsmen of Essex, Massachusetts, constructing a wooden fishing trawler, and was
produced for the Department of State's Information Service.

Among the 20 United States films selected for showing at this Exhibition was
also the Fish and Wildlife Service film Food for Thought.

gill

36 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 12, No. 10

Social Security Act Amendments of [950 Affect Fishing Industries

The "Social Security Act Amendments of 1950" (Public Law 734—8lst Congress) ,
approved by the President on August 28 this year, will affect the fishery industries.
Some relatively minor administrative features are already operative, but most of
the more important ones affecting the fishery industries will go into effect Janu-

ary De gS.

The law brings self-employed persons in the fishery industries under the Fed-
eral Old-Age and Survivors Insurance System. A tax of 2i percent will be imposed
on self-employment income for the first three years. Self-employment income is
defined by the law as "net earnings from self-employment derived by an individual.
(other than a nonresident alien individual) during any taxable year beginning after
December 31, 1950; except that such term shall not include:

"], That part of the net earnings from self-employment which is
in excess of:

(A) $3,600, minus
(B) the amount of the wages paid to such individual
during the taxable year; or

"2. The net earnings from self-employment, if such net earnings
for the taxable year are less than $4

It is estimated by the Fish and Wildlife Service's Branch of Commercial Fish-
eries that about 36,000 self-employed fishermen will be covered by the law. These
individuals will contribute to the Social Security System about $2,000,000 during
the first year.

In addition to self-employed fishermen, proprietors of fisheries processing,
wholesaling, retailing, and allied businesses operated as individual concerns or
partnerships will be subject to this tax.

According to information available at present, the collection of the social
security tax on self-employment income will be administered and collected in con-
junction with the Internal Revenue Bureau's income tax collection system.

The maximum amount of wages of employees on which the tax for Old-Age and Sur-
vivors Insurance is calculated is raised by this new law from $3,000 to $3,600 per
annum. The effect of this will be to raise present contributions both by the em-
ployer and employee by 20 percent for all employees earning $3,600 or more per year,
but these increased contributions will provide a higher base on which annuity pay-
ments will be computed and paid when benefits become due.

Fishermen employed on vessels under 10 net tons (except vessels in the halibut
or salmon fisheries) have been excluded from the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance
System and the tax under the Social Security Act and continue to be so exempt under
the new law. However, self-employed fishermen owning these vessels are now covered,
and these individuals are reyuired to pay the tax on self-employment income.

October 1950 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 37.

Wholesale and Retail Prices

WHOLESALE PRICES, AUGUST 1950: From July to August this year wholesale prices
of nearly all fishery products increased substantially. The edible fish and shell-
fish (fresh, frozen, and canned) wholesale index for August was 105.6 percent of
the 1947 average--8.3 percent higher than the previous month and 6.7 percent above
August 1949 (see tablel), according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the Depart-
ment of Labor. Sharp advances in all food prices, which started in July, continued
aa August, and edible nia products followed the same trend.

Drawn, Dressed, or Whole Finfish:
Haddock, large, offshore, drawn, fresh Boston
Halibut, Western, 20/80 lbs., dressed,
fresh or frozen New York City
Salmon, king, lge. & med.,
fresh or frozen
Lake trout, domestic, mostly No, 1, drawn
(dressed), fresh
Whitefish, mostly Lake Superior, drawn
(axenaed))s fresh
Whitefish, mostly Lake Erie pound nec
Tound, freESh seeseerereseves-ereree
Yellow pike, mostly Michigan (Lakes
Michigan & Huron), round, fresh ........
Processed, Fresh (Fish and Shellfish): ..
Fillets, haddock, small, skins on,
20-lb. tins Boston
Shrimp, lge. (26-30 gout); headless,
fresh OF FTOZEN eeccerccccsecccrsnccccces New York City
Oysters, shucked, standards Norfolk srea gal. . *
Prinsesed eer zenl (Leh and | Siel Ptah) |*\aise cas scls cis aiis ck lsielsbisineics ns Spiess oeinw ls abieiny aaa Gabiseiomlcmicais es! ees
Fillets: Flounder (yellowtail), skinless
LO-1b, DOXOS sececesceseseccees Boston
Haddock, small, 10-1b.cello-pack i!
Rosefish, 10-lb. cello-pack Gloucester
Shrimp, lge. (26-30 count), 5- to 10-lb.bxs Chicago
Canned Fishery Products:
“Salmon, pink, No. 1 tall (16 oz.), 48 Gana
POT CASE se-seeee Seattle
Tuna, light meat, zelda: rack No. i os
(7 0z.), 48 cans per CAS© seeeseescnvess ase Los Angeles
Sardines (pilchards), California, tomate
pack, No. 1 oval (150z.), 48 cans per case ..
Sardines, Maine, keyless oil, No. 4 drawn
Sf oz.), 100 cans per case

1/Revised

Because of the Korean conflict and the resulting increased demand for canned
fishery products, and the small salmon pack reported through the end of August this
year, canned fish markets were even stronger during August than in July. The big-
gest increases during August occurred in the canned fishery products subgroup. The
August index for canned fish was 106.3 percent of the 1947 average—16.0 percent
higher than July, but 0.4 percent below August 1949. Prices for all canned fish in
this subgroup rose, with canned pink salmon selling in August at prices that were
28.4 percent higher than in July and 8.7 percent higher than in August a year ago.
In spite of the fact that the Maine sardine pack at the end of August was more than
50 percent higher than the previous year at the same time, wholesale prices of canned
Maine sardines also showed an increase during August.

Prices of items under the drawn, dressed, or whole finfish subgroup continued
to rise (August prices were 4.2 percent higher than for the previous month). Com-
pared to the previous month, yellow pike prices at New York City during August were
considerably higher, while prices of all other items in this subgroup increased
moderately in most cases, except for whitefish prices at New York City which de-
clined slightly. In August, prices for this subgroup were still 15.1 percent higher
than in August 1949. The Canadian railroad strike in August curtailed the supply
of fresh-water fish available in United States markets and no doubt accounted for
the increased prices in almost, all of the fresh-water items in this subgroup.

38 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 12, No. 10

Fresh processed fish and shellfish prices were 3.5 percent higher during Au-
gust as compared with July and 8.3 percent higher than in August 1949. Among the
individual items in this subgroup, only haddock fillets sold at lower prices during

August.

August prices for the items in the frozen processed fish and shellfish sub-
group were 2.1 percent higher than in July and 9.6 percent higher than in August a
year earlier. Except for shrimp, all of the products included in this subgroup
wholesaled at higher prices during August. More liberal supplies of frozen shrimp
resulted in a drop in the wholesale prices of 5.6 percent fran July to August, and
prices during August this year were 3.7 percent below the corresponding month the
previous year.

RETAIL PRICES, AUGUST 1950: Retail food prices declined 0.5 percent on the
average between July 15 and August 15, 1950--the first drop in the food index since
February 1950. The retail food price index on August 15 was 209.0 percent of the
1935-39 average, 3.2 percent higher than a year earlier, and 2.2 percent above mid-
June 1950 (table 2), just before the Korean conflict started.

Fish and shellfish retail prices, however, continued to increase, following
the general trend established at wholesale for these commodities, but the increase
in retail prices-was not as great. For all fish and shellfish (fresh, frozen, and
canned), the August 15 retail index was 302.5 percent of the 1935-39 average--2.0
percent higher than on July 15, but still 2/1 percent lower than on August 15,1949.

Table 2 - Retail Price Indexes for Foods and Fishery Products,
August 15, 1950, with Comparative Data

All fish and shellfish
(fresh, frozen, & canned) ..
esh and frozen fish ..cccoce

Canned salmon: pink .ecrccoce

‘ Prices of fresh and frozen fishery products at retail rose 1.3 percent from
mid-July to mid-August this year, and on August 15 were 9.8 percent higher than on
the same date a year earlier.

The biggest increase in retail prices of fishery products was for canned pink
salmon. Retail prices for this item rose 3.7 percent from mid-July ‘to mid-August
this year, but on August 15 were still 22.3 percent below mid-August 1949. However,
the small salmon pack this year (the smallest since 1921) will no doubt result. in
more substantial increases in the retail prices of all canned salmon. In fact, the
increased demand for canned fishery products in general will probably result in
price increases for almost all of these commodities.

October 1950 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 39

ECA Procurement Authorizations for Fishery Products

No procurement and reimbursement author-
izations for fishery products (edible and
inedible) were announced by the Economic
Cooperation Administration during September
1950. In addition, no cancellations or de-
creases affecting previous authorizations
for fishery products were reported.

Total ECA procurement authorizations
for fishery products from April 1, 1948,
through September 30, 1950, amounted to
$28,016,000 ($16,267,000 for edible fish-
ery products, $10,209,000 for fish and
whale oils, and $1,540,000 for fish meal).

European Recovery Program Notes
AMERICAN RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY PLACED AT SERVICE OF WESTERN EUROPE: Estab-—

nology at the service of Western European
manufacturers was announced by the Economic
Cooperation Administration on September 30.
The aim of the service is to answer technical-
problems—-already solved by American industry—
which are constantly arising to plague European
plant managers and engineers. It is one part
of an over-all program, the objective of which
is to enable Western Europe to increase out-—
put at a lower unit cost, permitting lower
prices, as well as equitable wages andprofits.

The "Mail Answer Service" will be operated
by the Office of Technical Services of the
U. S. Department of Commerce, whose facilities
will be opened to plant managers, union technicians, and others having production
problems in the participating countries. Therefore, the Office of Technical Services
will be able to give the same assistance to European industry that it has given, and
is giving, American industry by supplying solutions to many of the problems which
hinder production.

The new service will have some benefits for the U. S. businessmen too, accord-
ing to the Director of ECA's Technical Assistance Division. Plans are now under way
to make European production information available to American industry. The Organ-
ization for European Economic Cooperation, which requested approval of the service
under ECA's technical assistance program, has recommended to the participating
countries that they open an inter—European network of information centers which will
provide services in Europe similar to those of the Office of Technical Services.

The Office of Technical Services is prepared to answer questions in 35 major
categories of industry, including food preserving.

40 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 12, No. 10

EUROPEAN PAYMENTS UNION IN OPERATION: L/ With the Paris signing of the agree-
ment by the 18 Marshall Plan countries on September 19, the European Payments Union
was placed in formal operation, according to the Economic CooperationAdministration.

Out of the $500 million that Congress has appropriated to ECA for use in the
form of transfers of funds to international institutions to promote transferability
of European currencies and trade liberalization, ECA has made available $350 million
for the European Payments Union's operations.

According to the ECA Administrator, "the agreement, which is retroactive to
last July, now brings the long-sought goal of currency convertibility and increased
intra-European trade much nearer....By making the various European currencies in
effect convertible among themselves, the Union will promote freer trade in Europe.
In addition, the progressive removal of trade barriers, such as, quantitative re-
strictions on goods between countries in the Union, will increase the efficiency of
manufacturing and trading and will benefit the consumer."

I/SEE COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW, AUGUST 1950, P. 14.

THE EFFECT OF A SEAFOOD DIET ON THE RED CELL COUNT, HEMOGLOBIN
VALUE, AND: HEMATOCRIT OF HUMAN BLOOD

Seafood products are of major importance for their nutritional value.
It is reasonable to suppose that marine animals living in a medium contain-
ing all the mineral elements needed by the human body would be a highly nu-
tritious class of food. Since the minerals may be supplied to us in a usable
form, by marine animals, we can get iron and copper to prevent nutritional
anemia, iodine to prevent goiter, as well as phosphorous, copper and magnesium
which are needed to regulate other body functions.

Oysters, shrimp, and crab meat,in addition to being rich sources of iron,
copper and iodine contain one-half as much calcium, three times as much mag-
nesium, and much more phosphorus than an equal quantity of milk. The oyster
is comparable to liver and to milk, in its rich sources of nutrients. One
pound of oysters provides about 12 percent of the energy needed by a man
for one day; alsc, 50 percent of the protein, 26 percent of the calcium,
40 percent of the phosphorus, over 184 percent of the iron, and about 110

} percent of the iodine, as well as vitamin A, thiamine, riboflavin and ascor-
bic acid.

Fish, as well as shellfish, are good sources of protein, phosphorus,
iron, and iodine. The protein content of fish is comperable to beef and
liver, and is higher than that of milk.

--Fishery Leaflet 334

October 1950 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 41

——

ee

= FOREIGN =

a

—

An opportunity has arisen to test pole fishing with live bait and purse seining
for tuna in Australian waters, the July 1950 Fisheries Newsletter of the Australien
Director of Fisheries reports, Negotiations are now taking place between American
interests and the various Australian Departments concerned to facilitate the entry
of the tuna vessels in that country's waters,

The offer to test live-bait pole fishing has been made by the general manager
of the Fiji-Samoa tuna enterprises (see Commercial Fisheries Review, September 1950,
p.52). These companies plan to bring a tuna clipper, live-bait boat, anda re-~
frigerated carrier, Wanned by experienced crews, to see if they can catch in Aus-
tralian waters the tuna that they have failed to take in sufficient quantity in
Fijian waters,

SOUTHERN BLUEFIN TUNA ( THUNNUS MACCOY 11) 1S CAUGHT NEAR AUSTRALIA.

A somewhat similar offer has been made by one of California's largest tuna
packers through a company in Sydney, This company plans to send a purse~seine
skipper and vessel, and a skilled crew,

In addition to proving if tuna can be taken in Australian waters in commercial
quantities by either or both of these two fishing methods, the exploratory fishing
planned would provide a valuable opportunity for training Australian crews in both
pole fishing and purse seining, provide employment for Australian fishermen, and
greatly increase Australia's dollar-earning capacity,

It is pointed out that neither of the above methods is within the financial
resources of the average Australian fisherman, but for him there will always re-
main trolling, which is capable of considerable expansion in New South Wales and
can be introduced to other States,

42 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol, 12, No, 10

SPINY LOBSTER AND TUNA EXPLORATIONS PLANNED: To investigate the prospects of
finding ne new spiny lobster er (crayfish) grounds in nds in Western Australia, the Commonwealth
Scientific and Industrial Research Organization has chartered the Villaret, a 139=
metric-ton vessel, The vessel will operate in an area of 1,200 square miles which
extends from North-West Cape to Onslow, and northwards to Barrow and Monte Bello
Islands, the Western Australian Fisheries Department reports,

The vessel is being equipped with the latest quick-freezing and processing
equipment and will be as modern and up-to-date as any on the Australian coast simi-
larly engaged, In addition to the standard type of lobster pot, experiments will
be made with a recently designed pot not previously used in Western Australia,
Special lighted buoys for night hauling will be used,

Trolling for tuna and the operation of fish traps will also be undertaken with
a view to gauging the commercial possibilities of these two methods of fishing,

Should the investigations prove favorable, it is believed that the spiny lob-
ster fishing areas of Western Australia (already a valuable dollar-earning source)
could be almost doubled, the July 1950 Australian Fisheries Newsletter states,

Oe OK Ok

UNITED STATES LEADING IMPORTER OF AUSTRALIAN SPINY LOBSTER TAILS: Frozen

spiny lobster tails are fast becoming one of Australia's “most i important items in

Se

AUSTRALIAN F|SHERMEN HAUL UP A LOBSTER POT INTO THEIR CUTTER. CATCHES ARE VARIABLE, DE-
PENDING ON THE CONDITIONS AT SEA. THEY'RE LIGHT WHEN A TURBULENT SEA KEEPS THE LOBSTERS
IN THEIR CREVICES OR CLINGING TO THE ROCKY BED, AND GOOD WHEN THEY! RE CRAWLING ON THE SEA
BED FORAGING FOR FOOD.

October 1950 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 43

its postwar trade with the United States, according to a report from R, R, Ellen,
Australian Government Trade Commissioner at New York City, A relatively small item
in 1947,when less than 100,000 pounds were shippedfrom Australiato the United States,
the spiny lobster industry has had a spectacular development over the last three
years, In 1948, more than 500,000 pounds were sent to the United States; and in
the calendar year of 1949,
exports tripled to the
record figure of more than
1,500,000 pounds (valued
at $1,033,167). Since
then, exports have been
steadily climbing, with
2,609,996 pounds shipped
to the United States from
July 1949 to the end of
June 1950,

The United States is
Australia's biggest spiny
lobster customer, taking
about 96 percent of the
season's exports (valued
at $1,360,000). In the
1948-49 season, Great
Britain, the British West
Indies, India, and Singa-
pore also took shipments,
Early shipments of the
tails were absorbed by
the restaurant and hotel
trades, but the capacity

A PACKER DISPLAYS TWO AUSTRALIAN SPINY LOBSTERS READY FOR of the Australian fisher-
PROCESSING. ies has not been fully
gauged, and exporters have hopes of developing the trade to a point where this Aus-

tralian food specialty will be selling in many retail stores,

The Australian spiny lobster (or marine crayfish), caught in the cool southern
waters, is an entirely different species from the rock lobster caught in and around
the Caribbean, It has a flesh color varying from white to pink and pale orange,

For export to the United States, only the pure wnite is classified as "fancy grade,"
Processing of the spiny lobsters takes place within a few hours of catching, and
every care is taken in their handling to avoid bruising and marking, As the habitat
of the Australian spiny lobster is the dark cool waters of the sea floor, speed in
transporting it to processing and freezing points is essential,

Specific Department of Commerce and Agriculture reguletions determine the tem-
peratures at which spiny lobster tails are frozen, stored, and shipped. The tails,
which must be severed from the spiny lobsters while alive, are cleaned in clear
water, wrapped in cellophane, and quick-frozen at -209 F, They are shipped to the
United States in 20-pound packages.

Western Australia is by far the largest shipper of "tails" to the United States,
but substantial quantities are also shipped from Tasmania and South Australia. The
annual catch of spiny lobsters in Western Australia is more than 6,000,000 pounds, or
almost one third of that State's total fish production. Most of these shellfish are

Ab COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol, 12, No, 10

taken in the Abrolhos Group--coral islands and reefs extending for about 50 miles and
lying 40 miles off the coast near Geraldton, The other fishing areas in Western Aus-
tralia are coastal waters west and north of Fremantle,

Lobster tails promise to be a valuable dollar earner for Australia,

xe OK OK OK

"ISH CANNERS URGE PROTECTION FROM IMPORTS: Commenting on the closing of three
of aE said the Commonwealth Government would have to take urgent action to
protect the industry or its future would be seriously prejudiced, reports the Aus~
tralian Fisheries Newsletter in its July 1950 issue, Referring to the successful
development of tuna canning in New South Wales last year, which marked the beginning
of exploitation of Australia's tuna resources, he pointed out that this new develop~
ment would be seriously retarded if the Government did not find some means of pro-
tecting the industry from imports,

The Fish Canners! Association, as a general measure of protection from imports,
has asked the Government to fix maximum imports from easy-currency countries at 100
percent of their 1938-39 shipments, and from dollar countries at 50 percent,

Of the three canneries that ceased operations, two are now processing frozen
fish, and the other was sold to a crayfish-processing company, Australia now has
15 canneries operating, at least to some extent,

Canada

FISHERIES DEPARTMENT ESTIMATES FOR 1950-51 EXPENDITURES: Main and supplemen-
tary estimates of expenditures by the Canadian Department of Fisheries for the fiscal
year 1950-51 were approved by the House of Commons during its recent session and in-
clude activities in the fields of fish inspection, patrol and protection, fish-cul=
ture development, research, education, bait services, and international fisheries
commissions, according to that Department! s Trade News of July 1950, The Depart-
ment's estimates provide for expenditures totaling er Woy 651,174, including 0$1,547,584
for supplementaries,

A joint federal-provincial working committee to unify government operations
across Canada in fisheries protection, inspection, and development. generally has been
established,

The largest amount (C#H,,088,650, an increase of C#86/,,250 over the previous fis-
cal year) of the 1950-51 funds will be spent for the maintenance of fisheries in-
spection, which includes salaries for fishery officers and guardians and the cost
of fisheries patrol and protection services,

The East Coast administrative machinery has been revamped, and plans call for
the reorientation of areas of administration, and in some cases, the reallocation
of duties and the engagement of new staff,

In the inland areas, the Department's staff has been increased and services
for whitefish inspection have been stepped up, The fisheries of the Northwest Ter-
ritories, particularly those of Great Slave Lake, are expanding in economic impor=

October 1950 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 45

tance and Federal officials feel keenly their responsibilities to encourage the
utilization of, but at the same time the perpetuation of, the valuable fish stocks
there, In Newfoundland, the Department has made a substantial increase in its in-
spection staff,

Similarly in fish-culture development, continued expansion of the work re-
quires an appropriation of C$779,045 for 1950-51, compared to C$#693,400 last year,

The main estimates also provide for an expenditure of C$250,000 by the Depart-
ment's Information and Educational Services, This provides for increased activi-
ties in technical education of fishermen,

The Fisheries Research Board of Canada was provided with an appropriation of
C$1,550,600 for operation and maintenance, an increase of C$151,925 over last year's
funds, and includes 0$103,000 for the acquisition of research equipment, For con-
struction and improvements by the Board, the estimates provide an expenditure of
C$503,000, Expansion of both biological and technological services of the Board
is provided for in these funds, At Halifax, N, S., provision is made for the exten-
sion of the work of the Atlantic Experimental Station, and new construction is
being undertaken which, among other things, will provide space for pilot-plant ex-
periments, At St, Andrews,N. B,, similar building expansion is planned for the
Atlantic Biological Station in order to enlarge their conservation and develop-
ment studies activities, Both of these undertakings are the result of demands by
the industry for increased fisheries research,

In British Columbia, the Department has substantially increased its biologi-
cal and engineering activities,

The estimates contained C#548,400 for the maintenance and extension of bait
services, Three additional bait depots are provided for Newfoundland,

Other funds provided were C#180,650 for Canada's share of the expenses of
the International Pacific Salmon Fisheries Commission; C$50,000 for Canada's
share of expenses of the International Fisheries Commission for the regulation
of the North Pacific halibut fisheries; and C$500,000 for Canada's share of ex~
penses of the Provisional Fur-Seal Agreement,

The Department again has been given special funds: C#$100,000 to be used to
provide assistance in the construction of vessels of the dragger and long-line
type; C$100,000 to provide assistance in the construction of bait-freezing and
storage facilities; and C480,000 to provide for the extension of educational work

in cooperative producing and selling among fishermen,

NOTE: VALUES SHOWN ARE IN CANADIAN DOLLARS (c$). VALUE OF | CANADIAN DOLLAR 1S APPROXIMATELY
9C CENTS U.S.
* * OK *

other species of fish were supported by the Canadian Government during the fiscal
year ended March 31, 1950, according to the annual report of the Fisheries Prices
Support Board,

During the previous fiscal year (1948-49), the Board supported the prices of
East Coast fish by purchasing 151,026 cases of canned cod (and related species),
herring, and mackerel, While arrangements nad been made to dispose of the entire

46 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vols, Noe)

purchase of canned fish before March 31, 1949, certain stocks still remained in
warehouses at tnat date pending shipment, The loss incurred in the 1949-50 fiscal
year in disposing of this balance amounted to C#$604,985. The loss incurred in
the previous fiscal year was C$538,988, bringing the total cost for this program
up to Cy1,143,973, according to a July 10 American Embassy dispatch from Ottawa,

A linited program to assist Newfoundland fishermen (but not processors) by
the purctiase of 1949 carry-over stocks of salt cod was announced by the Minister
of Fisheries in the House of Commons on June 28, The Fisheries Prices Support
Board will undertake this buying at prices averaging two-thirds of the prices

prevailing at the beginning of last year,

NOTE: VALUES SHOWN IN CANADIAN DOLLARS (c$). THE CANADIAN DOLLAR AT THE OFFICIAL RATE 1S

WORTH $0.9091 U. S. }

Chile

DEVELOPMENT OF FISHERIES PLANNED: The Chilean Government has maintained its
policy of fostering the fishing industry, according to an August 8 American Em-=
bassy dispatch from Santiago,

Chile's fisheries were surveyed during April and May by a representative of
the Food and Agriculture Organization, The Corporacion de Formento de la Pro-
duccion, on the basis of recommendations made in this survey, has announced a
program which includes the building of fish’processing plants; the development of
a whaling industry, hydrogenation of fish oil, and ship construction; aid to
fishery schools and organizations; improvement of marketing facilities; and prep-
aration of a map of Chilean fisheries,

Costa Rica
GROUP OF DANISH FISHERMEN IN

INVITED TO DEVELOP COSTA RICAN
FISHERIES: The Government of
Costa Rica invited a group of
Danish fishermen to visit Costa
Rica, This group is interested
in transferring a fishing fleet
and processing factories to
Costa Rica in order to catch and
preserve tuna and other fish,
and to manufacture fish meal
and oils, a Septenber 11 Ameri-
can Embassy dispatch from San
Jose reports, However, no def-
inite plans have been formula-
ted as yet,

TYPICAL COSTA RICAN SAILBOAT USED FOR HOOK
AND LINE FISHING.

October 1950 COMMERCIAL # ISHERIES REVIEW 47

Ecuador

FISH MARKETING SITatioy:2/ Ecuadoran public markets in June 1950 had ade-
quate supplies of fresh fish and shellfish, Most small fish weishing less than
two pounds are sold by the piece without weighing, Since ice is used sparingly,
most of the fish and shellfish are sold within 12 hours of being caught,

Most fishing is done with hook and line from canoes, or reed floats, The
principal fishing ports in the Guayaquil area, other than the estuary and bay of
Guayayuil, are Salinas, Libertad, and during the dry season from June to November,
Ayangue and Entroda, At other seasons, roads to the latter are impassable,

There is a tretiendous fluctua-
tion in prices for fish and shellfish
in the markets, not only seasonally,
but from day to day. This is due to
the lack of refrigerated storage fa-
cilities so tnat all fish must be
sold as soon as possible, Prices
drop sharply when supplies are abun-
dant and rise steeply on days of
scarcity, The lack of processing
plants, either canning or reduction,
contributes to the general instabil-
ity of prices,

Ecuador has been a net importer
of processed fishery products, and
seems likely to continue to be in
spite of proven tuna resources in
the Galapagos, There appears to be
no likelihood of establishing any
canning facilities during the re-
ee ive ve : mainder of 1950, No dried or salted

ING LI ; f :
aoehitae ith Bcuec, A oe THEVPUBCIC MARKET © UN fish was being imported during the
first half of 1950, but adequate sup-
plies were being produced both in Ecuador proper, especially in tne Galapagos Is-
lands, Species cormonly used are sharks, bonito, and albacore,

Although a fairly wide selection of fishery products was imported in the pre-
war period, 1935-39, the actual quantities were relatively small and only sardines
reached a respectable amount--varying between 750,000 pounds and 1,500,000 pounds
annually. Imports from the United States averaged a little better than 880,000

pounds per year.

I/THIS 1S THE ELEVENTH REPORT IN A SERIES TO GIVE |NFORMATION ON CURRENT AND POTENTIAL MARKETS
FOR UNITED STATES FISHERY PRODUCTS IN SOUTH AMERICA. MILTON J. LINDNER AND ROBERT O. SMITH,
UNITED STATES FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVES, WERE IN SOUTH AMERICA IN JUNE IN=
VESTIGATING MARKETS |N CONNECTION WITH A SURVEY SPONSORED COOPERATIVELY WITH THE U. S. DE-
PARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE'S OFFICE Of FOREIGN AGRICULTURAL RELATIONS. MORE DETAILED REPORTS
WILL BE ISSUED AT A LATER DATE AS FOREIGN MARKET CIRCULARS AND WILL BE AVAILABLE FROM THE
BRANCH OF COMMERCIAL FISHERIES, U. S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE, WASHINGTON 2, D. Cos THE
ANNOUNCEMENT OF THIS STUDY APPEARED IN COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW JUNE 1950, 5-7 18, AND
THE FIRST REPORT IN THIS SERIES ON THE ARGENTINE REPUBLIC ON PP. PP. 33- 4 OF THE SAME ISSUE;

THE SECOND ON THE NETHERLANDS WEST INDIES APPEARED IN JULY 1950, PP. 46-7; AND OTHERS AP-
PEARED IN THE AUGUST 1950 ISSUE AS FOLLOWS: THE THIRD ON URUGUAY , PP, 6)-2; THE FOURTH
ON PARAGUAY, PP. 52-3; THE FIFTH ON BRAZIL, P. 41; THE SIXTH ON BOLIVIA, PP. 39-40; THE
SEVENTH ON SURINAM, PP. 57-8; THE EIGHTH ON VENEZUELA, PP. 62-3; THE NINTH ON CHILE, PP.
43-4; AND THE TENTH IN THE SEPTEMBER 1950 ISSUE, PP. 53-5.

48 COMMERCIAL FISHEXIES REVIEW Vol, 12, No, 10

Postwar import statistics are available only for:1946-47, and do not show the
volume of present business, Considering the data at hand, it is evident that the
demand for anchovies, smoked herring, shrimp, crabs, lobsters, and caviar is very
light, and the total dollar value for each, except caviar, is less than $1,000,
Only two other categories, in addition to canned sardines, are represented in suf=
ficient volume to warrant interest on the part of United States processors: mis-
cellaneous salted and canned fish, The former, now supplied by Peru to the extent
of over 148,000 pounds in 1947, is known to consist mostly of shark and bonito,
Canned fish consists of such items as mackerel in various forms, fish roe, and
other specialty products,

Data for 1946-47 show a rapid recovery in sardine imports, so that the 1947
figure of 767,000 pounds is approaching the 1935-39 average of about 1,162,000
pounds annually. However, the quantity from the United States has declined from
83 percent (5-year average 1935-39) to 61
percent (average 1946-47). The chief
United States competitors have changed
from Japan and Spain (prewar) to Canada,
Venezuela, Peru, and Norway,

’

Ecuador's problem with respect to in-
ports from the United States is the now
familiar one of limited dollar exchange.
With the possible exception of sardines,
Ecuadoreans prefer to turn dollars into
automotive products, machinery, tools,
household equipment and supplies, and
synthetic materials, The probability is
remote that any unusual demand for fish-
ery products will develop,

The Ecuadoran economy is based on
agriculture and is dependent on imports for
most types of manufactured goods, All im-
ports into Ecuador are subject to exchange CUTTING AND SKINNING A SHARK AT A STALL
controls, Import permits must be obtained IN THE GUAYAQUIL PUBLIC MARKET.
from the Central Bank, which is the only
agency authorized to issue permits, When the import permit is issued, the dollars
are granted,

There are three classes of commodities under the import permit system: ListA
is designated "essential," List B "useful," and List C "non-essential," An import
permit for iteris listed under either A or B carries with it permission to buy the
hecessary dollars from the Central Bank at the rate of 13,50 sucres per U, S, dol-
lar, Import permits for "C" items do not include authority to purchase dollars
from the Central Bank, Such dollars zust be purchased in the free market at rates
which have fluctuated from 16,50 to 18.50 sucres to the U, S, dollar during the
past 18 months, Fishery products are on List "¢,'" except canned fish which is on
List "B," Since List © items cannot be imported with Central Bank dollars, the
full c.i.f, value of the shipment in dollars must be deposited with the Central
Bank at the time the import permit is issued,

Ecuador extends 100 miles north and 400 miles south of the equator, ‘The popu-
lation was estimated in 1948 at 3,362,000. Of this number, from 250,000 to 300,000
live in and around the port of Guayaquil,

October 1950 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 49

E| Salvador

LEGISLATION PASSED TO ENCOURAGE FISHERIES ENTERPRISES: Legislation designed
to encourage the development of commercial fishing and canning industries in El
Salvador was passed by the Salvadoran Government, an August 17 American consular
dispatcn from San Salvador states, Reports indicate that fish are plentiful in
Salvadoran coastal waters, but El Salvador has never had a commercial fishing en=

terprise or a canning industry,

The law (Decree Law No, 726, published in Diario Oficial of August 8, 1950)
provides that during the period of 15 years following its publication, any fish-
ing or canning industry established in El Salvador will have the benefit, during
that period, of special concessions among which are: (1) tax free operations;

(2) duty-free imports of all necessary equipment, machinery and supplies, includ-
ing fuel oil; (3) the right to utilize fishing boats and equipment freely and
without hampering restrictions in the bays, estuaries, rivers and at sea,

In order to qualify for the special benefits awarded, the law specifies that
future canning or fishing industries comply with the following conditions: (1) be
organized as a corporation under the laws of El Salvador; (2) at least 50 percent
of the stock consist of Salvadoran capital, and no stock can be owned or acquired
by foreign governments; (3) 80 percent of the employees must be Salvadoran citizens;
(4) priority be given to the sale of the production in the domestic market; (5) sell
the production to government, social benefit institutions at a discount of no less
than 50 percent of the profit obtained from sale to private firms,

Article 6 of the Decree declares null and void a law passed in 1921 which
gave an exclusive concession to a Salvadoran citizen for the establishment of a
canning industry. No cannery was established in El Salvador by this citizen,
despite the legislation which had enabled a virtual monopoly, and the fact that
such a law remained on the books has militated against the establishment of a
canning industry by other interested persons, The present law provides for free
competition in both the fisheries and canning fields,

It is interesting to note that almost simultaneously with the publication of
Decree No, 726 there arrived in El Salvador the first commercial fishing boat des-
tined to fish exclusively in Salvadoran waters and sell its production in the local
market under the terms of the new law, This boat, a 9-ton, Diesel=-driven fishing
craft, purchased in California, is to be operated by two American citizens who re~
portedly have the financial backing of a Salvadoran firm, Although this business is
being started on a very small scale, it is important in that it is the first commer-
cial fishing enterprise ever begun in this country, and should eventually make avail-
able fishery products at a cost low enough to bring them within the range of the low-
income groups of El Salvador,

=——_—S=-
——_—S|=

to 2 cents per pound), as the price of the fish to the processor remained at 4

50 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol, 12, No. 10

prennigs (1 cent per pound), ‘The shipowners are said to object to the decrease,
claiming that their break-even point is 15 pfennigs (3.2 cents per pound), reports
an August 22 American consular dispatch from Bremerhaven,

The Equalization Fund is derived from a charge on each kilo of fish landed in
Bremerhaven, Cuxhaven, Hamburg, and Kiel, Collections for the Fund, which ceased
on April 1, 1950, following the expiration of the law under which they were made,
were resumed on July 1, 1950, upon passage of a new law, It has been possible to
continue payments during the interval between laws with the surplus which had been

accumulated,

From this fund, DM2,000,000 was released ($476,000) for credit to fish whole-
salers, fish importers, and the industry. Of this amount, DMi730,000 ($173,740) was
for use in Bremerhaven, DM530,000 ($126,140) in Hamburg, DM490,000($116,620) in
Cuxhaven, and DM250,000 ($59,500) in Schleswig-Holstein,

Loans for the Fisheries: Land Bremen has offered a guarantee of DI2,000,000
($476,000) for short-term bank loans made through the Fischereihafen-Betriebsgesel-
lscheft (the port administrative authority), Bremerhaven, on the current herring
catch, The Fischereihafen-Betriebsgesellschaft has been authorized to apply for
loans totaling DM5,800,000 ($1,380,400) of which DM,,C00,000 ($952,000) is to be
loaned on salted herring and DM1,800,000 ($428,400) on marinated herring, Loans
cannot exceed 60 percent of the processed value of the fish,

The press reports that Land Niedersachsen has also established a credit of
DM2,000,000 ($476,000) for the Cuxhaven herring industry,

A credit of DM3,100,000 ($737,800) has been approved for the renovation of
motors and eyuipment of the high sea and coastal fisheries of Schleswig-Holstein,
Of this sum DM2,000,000 (%476,000) will be advanced by the Federal Government from
funds for use in areas of heavy unemployment, and DM1,100,000 ($261,800) by the
Land,

Subsidy for Coal Used by Fishing Vessels Extended: ‘he law providing a sub-
sidy of DM15,00 ($3.57) per tou on coal used by the high sea fisheries has been
extended through June 1951. ‘The law was originally due to expire on June 30, 1950,
but was prolonged because of the difficult financial position of the fisheries,

—=e

aa
Iceland

HERRING PRICES RAISED: Prices of fresh herring for processing into oil and
meal were fixed at 65 kronur per mal (approximately $1.34 per hundredweight) by
the Icelandic Minister of Fisheries on July 6, according to a July 6 American
consular dispatch from Reykjavik, The price last year was 40 kronur per mal (83
cents per cwt.),

Two devaluations of the Icelandic krona were primarily responsible for the
rise in the price of fresh herring in terms of Icelandic currency,

On July 7, the State Herring Board fixed the price of fresh herring for salt-
ing at 110 kronur (approximately $6.75) per barrel (209 pounds) without heads (or
$3.23 per ewt.). Provided there will be ample fresh herring this summer, the Ice-
landers expect to. salt approximately 200,000 barrels for export to countries with
which Iceland has concluded Trade Agreements,

October 1950 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 51

Japan
EXPORT OF SKILLED FISHERMEN TO INDIA: ‘Three expert Japanese fishermen and an

interpreter departed for Bombay, India, on August 14 to assist in the commercial
development of fisheries in that area, according to the August 12 Weekly Summary
of SCAP's Natural Resources Section, This is the first "export" of Japanese fish-

ermen to overseas fisheries since the termination of hostilities,

Reyuest for the fishermen was originated by commercial interests in Bombay
with the approval of the Indian Government, The contract provides for the services
of the skilled fishermen for a period of one year during which the Japanese tech-
nicians will supervise and participate in the exploration of the sea areas about
Bombay, The Japanese fishermen will modify fishing boats and gear presently avail-
able at Bombay to meet fishing conditions which are peculiar to the Bombay area,
The project provides for the Japanese to train Indian fishermen in the new type of
operations,

JAPANESE GOVERNMENT

FA

Mexico

EXPORT DUTIES ON SHRIMP: Owners and operators of freezing plants in the Mazat-
lan area (Sinaloa) on the west coast of Mexico are requesting the Government to put
a duty of 3,000 pesos (about $347) per metric tons on fresh shrimp, thus making it
impossible to send fresh shrimp to the United States, However, the boat operators
fear that a monopoly would result, a September 6 American consular dispatch from
Mazatlan reports, The refrigerating plants are willing to pay an export duty of
650 pesos (about $75) per ton on frozen shrimp, To date it is believed that export
duties have not been definitely established by the Government,

SHRIVP WEIRS TO BE REMOVED: It is reported that some of the weirs placed in
the estuaries or lagoons of southern Sinaloa, which prevent the shrimp from migrat-
ing to the open sea, will be removed this year and the balance will be eliminated
gradually over a period of time, Those operating boats offshore oppose the use of
weirs as they claim small shrimp cannot reach the ocean to mature to the size de-
manded by the export market, On the other hand, lagoon operators, which fish from
small dugout canoes, favor the continued use of the weirs which protect their sup-
ply of small shrimp for the local market, Mexican fisheries authorities point out
that the removal of the weirs must be gradual and with the cooperation of the canoe
fishermen because the many lagoons would make it impossible to enforce any wide-

scale removal order,

ot SE Se Re
== ee OSS

ville, Texas, was announced during August, Fishing cooperatives in Carmen have
contracted with an air line for 10-ton daily air shipments to Brownsville, This
flight will bring to four the number of air carriers hauling shrimp from Carmen to
Brownsville, according to a September 9 American consular report from Matamoros,

SHRIMP TWDUSTRY EXPANDING: Fishermen at Ciudad del Carmen are reportedly get-
ting very large catches, In addition, August reports indicate that schools of
"giant" shrimp have recently appeared in large numbers off the coast of Campeche
State, a September 7 American consular dispatch from Merida states, Facilities for
processing and refrigerating shrimp are being increased at the city of Campeche in
order to handle tne contemplated increased production,

52 COMMERCIAL FISHSRIWS RoVIaW Vol. 12, No. 10

Norway
WEST COAST BOAT BUILDERS REPORT A SLUMP IN FISHING-VESSEL CONSTRUCTICN: Nor-

constructed at the present time, allegedly because of the difficulty fishermen have
in raising the required capital. A fishing vessel 75 feet long costs approximately
%35,000, Loans up to three-fifths of the needed amount may be secured from the Gov-
ernment-operated Fiskeribanken; the remainder must be secured from private sources

by prospective purchasers.

Another reason given for this slump is that war losses have been replaced and
the effectiveness of the fishing fleet is reported to be double what it was before
World War II, states an American Embassy dispatch from Oslo dated September 1.

It is also very difficult to secure the necessary crews to man the new vessels.

WHALING COMPANIES CHALLENGE RIGHT OF GOVERNMENT TO FIX PRICES FOR WHALE OIL:
In a suit seeking the highest claims for damages ever presented to a Norwegian court,
whaling companies have challenged the right of the Norwegian Price Directorate to levy
an export tax and fix lower domestic market prices for whale oil than prevail in the
world market. The damage claim is for 115 million kroner ($16,100,000) covering

losses allegedly sustained in the first three postwar years.

The Norwegian Export Council has called upon the Government to waive all ex-
port taxes.

Peru
REVIEW OF THE FISHSRIES, 1949:1/ Fishing Seasons: Peruvian fishing operations

are carried on throughout the year, according to an American consular report dated
June 28. The most favorable periods for the catch of the important species are as
follows: Bonito - October to March; Swordfish - August to March; Tuna - Sporadically

throughout the year.

The other species of fresh fish consumed locally are caught throughout the year.
However, the period of greatest abundance appears to be from September to March.

Number of Vessels: Official data on the number, size, and types of boats cur-
rently engaged in fishing are not available. However, an estimate,-gathered from
well-informed trade sources, reveals the following:

Type Length Total Units

Feet: Number
Motorized Units:

"BOLT CHE! IY DOK e, delciaie civoevelore ele efaiers o nts een 2045 109
"Boniteros" (covered launches) .ccccscee 32 450
DaAlUDOATS icicle wieleterevereierereleleielevsleloictetslelsveitisvaravare 24 1,500
SCa—BOINE *TOWDOATS sics\s divtecleic-s vieve ele cle eleinlals - 750

So
1/ALSO SEE COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW, SEPTEMBER 1950, PP. 53-5; APRIL 1950, P. 77.

October 1950 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 53

Production by Species, 1949: Bonito and yellowfin tuna are the leading snecies
of fish produced in Peru (see table), ‘The catch of bonito has steadily increased fror.
32,463,614 pounds in 1946 to 59,940,760 pounds in 1949.

Eons Fish Production by Leading 1946-49 (Landed Weight)
== 1947, [1946 |

Me dale Ss UGimmpONNGs!) a5). .we desis ateleaterots
7,072,285] 1,303,975] 1,875,577 3,012,909

Ane yellowfin tuna) <sciecie vccecee os

Barrilete (skipjack tuna) ........e0.] 3,015,247 926,757
BomttO) |(HONAUbO)Pmsreielate aiaiatesreparere ajeafe aieregh O9, 9409100145 954,105 7
Gaballa (mackerel), os oasis sieciviees cree |i 4,031,515) 1,792,017} 5,506,547
Babritila (sea bass) oo sceses een sinsnme tyr ip tlle 437 bods Ped S50. oy Lol 069
Gogimobal(pompario) |". . iseiss ois esses 2,605,506] 5,203,029
ONEIIETEN (THAI) fal} ejeiuye ale\a!ste'e/ciels!etereiels eveiejs 4,806,886] 2,380,763

achete (herring) @eeersereecesecsreees
ez espada (swordfish) ...e.cseccccee

Other @rceeereeeeesesesrereserereseesed

Total e@eeeeeeeeeeereeee

1,957,657] 923,985

] 99,572,075 79,076,538 167,712,066 j60,845 972]

* ek RK

EXPORT DUTIES: Export duties and charges are the most important source of
revenue for the Peruvian Government, a September 1 report from the American Embassy
at Lima states,

The basic export duty on fish of all kinds (Law No, 10545 of April 16, 1946)
is 10 percent on the difference between the basic production costs at Peruvian port
and the market price in the United States, For this purpose, basic production costs
have been established as follows: salted fish, #160 pershort ton (907.184 kilograms,
net weight); preserved fish, $425 per short ton,

An additional export tax of 10 percent, payable on the market price exceeding
by 25 percent the base price, is also levied,

The export duty on fish livers is $10 per metric ton (net weight), but no
additional export tax is collected on this item,

—_—__"
TAREE

Republic of the Philippines

REVIEW OF THE FISHERIES, FISCAL ae. 1949-50: Production: There was an esti-

— See OES ee

able 1 - Philippine Production of Fishery Products, Fiscal Year 1949-50 & 1948-49
1949-50 1948-49

viarewwi (att pounds) eevee

oduction from:

Commercial licensed fishing vessels

(of at least 3 metric tons) seccccercccvcccscceese
Fish ponds eee eer ee Ses eteSSetSseseSSeseSesseeSseeeeese
Municipal and sustenance fisSherieS seecerecerccsece

Total SCC CCC ETTSSSHSEHOHFES STEHT EOHOE HES OSE

/Does not include gathered fishery products,

128,633,157
53,917,116 | 52,292,328
365,100,547 | 297,953,654

547,650,820 | 446,950,480

such as Shells, trepang, coral, etc.

5k COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol, 12, No, 10

the fiscal year ended June 30, 1950, when compared with production recorded for Fiscal
1949 (table 1). In view of the drastic import cutst/ on fish products, the necessity
for continued increases is apparent, states an August 31 dispatch from the United States
Embassy in Manila,

Number of Vessels: In 1949-50 there were 825 commercial licensed vessels with a
total gross tonnage of 20,245 metric tons engaged in the fisheries, compared with 706
vessels with a gross tonnage of 18,006 metric tons in 1948-49.

Fish Ponds: A total of 1,901 applications for fish-pond permits were filed dur-
ing 1949-50, compared with 1,065 applications the previous fiscal year, In 1949-50,
302 permits were issued and 639 permits renewed, while the previous fiscal year only
194 permits were issued and 331 permits renewed,

Toere was also an increase in the acreage used for fish ponds from 171,156 acres
in 1948-49 to 173,024 acres in 1949-50.

The productivity of fisheries has been seriously impaired over the past three
years by the rampant use of dynamite and fish poison, Republic Act No, 428 passed
during the last session of Congress declares illegal such practices and provides strict
penalties, Although a downward trend has been noted in dynamite fishing, the virtual
inability of the authorities to police the law will make the practice a problem for
some years to come,

Table 2 - Philippine Production of Fishery Products (Including Gathered Products

Calendar Year 1948 and 1949

| Calendar Year 1949] andar) Year 1948 |

ele parses co nen ean) Cen Rae Lee
lbs. Pesos U.S.$ ibs. Pesos U.Se$

Fish production sccccccccccccccce ee. | 525,606,871 | 296,865,658 | 148,432,829 |} 429,172,663] 163,456,630 | 81,728,315

eal eretolateialoinioicielois tetera 1,593,526 186,944 93,472 || 30,636,412 366,601 183,301)

Production of other fishery products 34,019 35,218 17,609 446 281 65,956 32,978

Total

Development of Fisheries: In line with the nation-wide drive on food production,
the amount of P100,000 ($50,000) has been appropriated by special legislation for the
promotion of the fisheries industry, Out of this amount, P75,000 ($37,500) have been
allotted for the construction of three demonstration fish-farm
projects and P25,000 ($12,500) for the financing of a fisheries
technological building to house a pilot canning plant and fish-
preservation laboratory, The Philippine Bureau of Fisheries is
actively engaged in expanding the fishing industry by lending
technical guidance, providing stocks of fish for cultivation
purposes, and by offering demonstration classes on prevention
of waste by proper methods of preservation,

Imports: Imports of fishery products decreased from
79,565,299 pounds, valued at P28,284,656 ($14,142,328) in
1948 to 66,287,489 pounds, valued at P32,588,985 (16,294,493)
in 1949. More of a decrease can be anticipated during 1950
due to import cuts of from 60 to 80 percent based on average c.,i.f, values of imports
for the years 1946, 1947, and 1948,

Gathered Fishery Products: Unfinished shell production (table 2) and exports have
shown a steady decline since 1 due largely to increased competition from Australia
We SEE COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW, AUGUST 1950, PP. 53-7.

October 1950 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 55

and other sources and the lowered market value of commercial shell in New York, At
the end of the fiscal year 1950, commercial shell exports, such as mother-of-pearl,
trocha, snail and kapis, amounted to 656,066 pounds valued at P443,951 ($221,971),
compared with exports of 1,464,617 pounds valued at P976,180 ($488,090) for Fiscal
1949. Exports of shell buttons, blanks and novelties increased during the same per-
iod from 47,399 pounds, valued at P368,912 ($184,456) for Fiscal 1949 to 150,088
pounds, valued at P875,663 ($437,832) for Fiseal 1950,

Po

Portugal

FISHERIES REVIEW, 1949: Introduction: Portuguese fisheries production (ac-
cording to official statistics) in 1949 was 203,243 metric tons (excluding whales),
compared with 219,964 tons in 1948 (table 1), mid-year American consular dispatches
from Lisbon report, During the years 1943-49, the annual average catch amounted to
about 237,000 tons,

The main types of fisheries are:

1. Coastal fishery - concerned mainly with the production of sardines,
but substantial quantities of anchovies, tuna, chinchards, and
mackerel are also caught,

2. Otter-trawl fishery - conducted mainly on the high seas off the
coast of West Africa in the vicinity of Cape Blanco, The chief
varieties caught are whiting, pargo, sea bream, scabbard fish,
dogfish, corvina, and some sole and turbot (flatfish).

3. Cod fishery - fishing on the Newfoundland Grand Banks and the west
coast of Greenland, Conducted by a large fleet (mostly modern)
of Portuguese schooners and trawlers,

4. Whale fishery - conducted on a small scale off the coast of Setubal
and in the adjacent islands of the Azores,

Miscellaneous fisheries - small amounts of shellfish and fresh-water
fish,

wn

Coastal Fishery: The failure of sardines to appear off the Portuguese coast
in sufficient quantities during the past two years has created economic distress
in the sardine fishing industry, Before 1948, the annual sardine catch was around
100,000 tons, The catch for 1949 was only 55,842 tons, compared with 78,569 tons
(table 1) for 1948. A scarcity of sardines has curtailed the fishery for the past
several years, The sardine fishing season extends from May to December, but during
the off-season, operations are conducted on a small scale,

The disposition of the total coastal fisheries production of 94,208 metric tons
was as follows: sold in fresh-fish auction markets for public consumption, 69,709
tons; delivered to the fish canneries, 24,499 tons (consisting of 14,849 tons of
sardines, 1,342 tons of chinchards, 2,077 tons of macherel, 4,779 tons of anchovies,
and 1,452 tons of tuna), About 85 percent of the fish sold to the canneries was
canned in oil or sauce, and the remainder (mostly anchovies) processed in brine,

2

56 COMMERCIAL FISHEKIES REVIEW Viol si2y) Nowe o

Table 1 - Landed Catch of Portuguese Fisheries by Type of Fishery and Leading Species, 1948-49
Official Statistics
Type of Fishery eee A Ee ee | eee
and Species Quantity | ——Value/ I Quantit

Metric Tons Escudos U.S.

Coastal capone

Sardine eevecccocccece

192,202,000] 7,457,438

Motale ene ene 10,537 || 16,219,000] 629,297 || 11,780 || 20,198,000

| Grand Total ......-..... | 203,243 || 882,069,000 | 34,224,278] 219,964 _ |] 891,701,000
i /Based on wholesale auction sales.
e/According to statistics compiled by the fish-canning institute, the 1949 sardine catch was 34,796
tons, valued at US$7,002,391 (47,683 tons, valued at US$9,212,312, in 1948); and the total coastal
fisheries catch was 79,879 tons, valued at US$10,050,830 (84,861 tons, valued at US$12,303,813, in
1948). These are the figures usually used by the trade.

The gremio of owners of trawling vessels, a semi-official trade organization, reports the 1949 catch

as 41,700 tons and the 1948 catch as 42,669 tons.

Chinchards coccecececcoee 70,750,000 | 2,745,100 ; ;
“AnchovieS ceccecccesccce 10,173,000 394,712 15,191,000
12,507,000 485 ,272 5 6,700,000
24,107,000 935,352 2,997 23,111,000
| 309,759,000 | 12,017,874 jf 118,925 || 376,599,000] 15,159,279]
[265,756,000 | 10,252,957 || 35,932 || 215,626,000)
Otter-Trawl Fishery:
Whiting ccccocceccccccoce 13,035 108,553,000 | 4,211,856 12,245 104,151,000
‘Other Species ccoecceccce 41,510 183,822,000 |_ 7,132,294 |] 41,082 175,127,000} 7,040,105)
Total sssssssssesee | 54,545 |] 292,575,000 | 11,544,160 || 55,527 |] 279,279,000] 11,226,975
scellaneous Fisheries: |
Shellfish ..ccccceccccces 9,939 11,204,000 434,715 TE 7 15,680,000
Fresh-water fish .e..ce. 598 5,015,000 194,582 fj 623 4,518,000

In addition to canned and brined products produced by the canneries, it is
estimated by trade authorities that the scrap sold to factories yielded 700 tons
of oil and 400 tons of fish meal,

Wholesale Prices; The rise in the wholesale price of sardines for canning and
public consumption that took place during 1949 was attributable to the prevailing
scarcity of fish (table 3),

Developuents and Problems in the Sardine Fishery: The sardine fishing industry

and the important canning industry, which depends on it, went through a disastrous
year in 1949.

TYPICAL PORTUGUESE SARDINE MOTHERSHIP (GALEAO) USES LARGE SEINE NET WHICH OCCUPIES MOST OF

THE DECK SPACE. VESSEL 1S ABOUT 40 GROSS METRIC TONS AND 66 FEET IN LENGTH. 7

October 1950 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES HEVinw 57

Because of the failure to organize a systematic, scientific study of the sardine
fishery, very little is known concerning the causes of the sardine scarcity from which
Portugal has suffered during the last
two years. The only concrete devel-
opment toward this end is an @CA tech-
nical assistance project recently ap-
proved under which Dr. Magalhaes
Ramalho, Director of the Marine Biol-
ogy Station of Lisbon and Portugal's
leading expert in the field of marine
biology, planned to leave for the
United States in July 1950 on a two-
month study mission. Dr. Ramalho,
accompanied by Dr. Jose Mouizinho de
Figueiredo of the Fisheries Research
Office, a body recently established
by the fishing gremios, was to study
scientific research projects carried
out in the United States to determine
the causes of the disappearance of
sardines from the California coast,
with a view to determining whether similar measures can be applied in Portugal. Wheth-
er the necessary funds will be forthcoming from the Government and other sources to
mount a similar project in Portugal is problematical. The ECA technical assistance
offered at least represents a hopeful beginning,

Table 3 - Portuguese Wholesale Average Prices for Sardine Fishery Catch, 1948-49
5 ___(Trade Statistics)

ie a eae
Species
esh sardines for:

Cannine so alalelejuiaie cisiie(c.e,c(eleleisfelelelciaialaietalele
STL valeia cfotalalelevaiainials Ginia,eiejeielejeeicisisteleiietals
LOcal Consumption ececocccecvcccrerccce
Ganoralll SUSE Metsievelela'slsicle/ele\elalelaisinis/sie/ejes'ejoin
KISEFOGHGY WS DOCLOS, (os ejc,cie/ele|s 0,0 wlajcloiclsisicic oles

Total average for coastal fishery

catch SSOSSHSSHEHTHESOHSF HEHEHE OHTTEEOE

Table 2 - Portuguese Canned Fish Pack

by Species, 1949 (Trade Statistics)

Std. Cases
726,870
231,500

Sardines @cececseecetoesoeens
ANCHOVLCSyteictielelpin efalsle «lel cies
Mackerel eceeeeeesreseeeren
una and similar species .

TOCA] soccecccseccccecce
1/A wooden case holding 100 #club cans
(30 mm, size), each can containing 4¢
oz. Gross weight of case is approx-

imately 51 pounds, while the contents
of the case (excluding the weight of
the wooden case) is about 42 pounds.

Meanwhile, the economic crisis in the sardine ports, brought about by reduced
sardine catches and the operation of the canneries at a small fraction of capacity,
has resulted in the widespread unemployment of large numbers of packing-house work-
ers and fishermen,

The ills from which the sardine fishing and packing industries are suffering
are much more basic than the temporary misfortune of the sardine shortage, The sar-
dine fishing fleet was considerably expanded during the war, and in 1949 it con-
sisted of 385 vessels, as compared to about 250 in 1939, ‘The result has been an
intensified and uneconomic competition among the proprietors with each boat pro-
ducing a smaller yield than formerly, since the total catch did not increase between
1939 and 1946 and since the latter year it has declined drastically, The yield of
sardines per boat has dropved from about 350 metric tons before the war to only 90
tons in 1949 as the result of the greatly reduced catch and the increase in the
fleet,

58 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol, 12, No, 10

The Gremio estimates that an economic loss of about one willion dollars has
been suffered because of the excessive investment of capital in the sardine fleet,
It also attributes the sardine scarcity to excessive fishing by the increased fleet
and points out that even if the fish were abundant and the yield per boat returned
to the 1939 level of 350 tons, the 385 boats nov; fishing would catch 135,000 tons,
The canning industry might handle a maximum of 60,000 tons, but according to the
Gremio the balance of 75,000 tons would be excessive for purposes of public con-
sumption and the price would fall to ruinous levels,

In the face of the industry's difficult situation, the chief actions by the
Government nave been the imposition of a ban on further construction of sardine
boats, small loans to proprietors to tide them over the crisis, reductions in the
price of coal and liquid fuels supplied to the sardine fishing fleet, and the con~
sideration of certain measures of tax relief, The Gremio has also extended finan-
cial assistance to its members to enable them to equip their boats for the 1950
season,

In addition to the measures cited, the Government restricted sardine fishing
operations for the first time in 1949 by issuing regulations requiring the mandatory
suspension of fishing activities for minimum periods of 15 days each, The time
of such suspensions of activity are freely chosen by the proprietors and the
periods may be continuous or alternating on condition that the annual total of
suspension is 60 days for boats up to 39 feet in length and 90 days for boats
of a length greater than 39 feet, ‘These new regulations became effective on
January 1, 1949.

At the insistence of the various fishing organizations, the Government has
called a conference in June for the purpose of making an over-all study of the
industry and of submitting recommendations for relief, The Ministries of Marine,
Economy, and Colonies were to participate in this conference,

In the meantime, efforts have been made to alleviate the hardships being
experienced in the sardine fishery by investigating the possibility of fishing
sardines off the coast of Morocco, As a result of this investigation, the
Government is led to believe that there is an abundance of sardines and that
the volume is steady, A number of vessels have already explored the possibili-~
ties and have returned with satisfactory catches; however, due to the long haul,
the fish have all been marketed for direct local consumption, It will be diffi-
cult to gauge accurately the results of fishing off Morocco until the end of 1950
because the boats were not permitted to fish during April and May due to a Moroce~
can regulation which forbids fishing in these two months, :

Problems of the Fish Canning Industry: The situation of the canning industry
is even more serious than that of the coastal fishing industry because of the
larger capital investment involved in plants and equipment, The most serious
problem 1s reported to be the ruinous competition among the various producers
which during the past season drove export prices down to unremunerative levels,
The hopes that were placed last year on the British collective contract for one
million cases of sardines were unfulfilled (as was the contract), It was antici-
pated that this contract would constitute a guarantee of continuity for the oper=
ation of the industry and also have a stabilizing effect on prices, since it
fixed the price for 50 percent of the production which was mandatorily set aside
to fulfill the contract, However, these hopes were not realized and most producers

October 1950 COMERCIAL FISH@RIES REVIGW 59

vied with each other to sell their production at whatever price it would bring, A
slight ray of hope that the canning industry might establish a more cooperative
relationship with the fishing proprietors in the sale of the catch was provided

by an agreement made at the important fishing center of Matosinhos last year to
fix prices and the percentage of sardines to be delivered to the canneries, This
agreement is said to have worked out well and to nave shown possibility of an ef-
fective accord between the two industries for the mutual defense of their interests,

Aside from internecine conflict over prices; the canning industry's chief cur-
rent problem is the lack of exyort markets, Portugal's traditional customers for
canned fish have made imports more difficult by increasing tneir restrictions, re-
ducing quantities authorized in commercial accords, and in some cases prohibiting
imports entirely, The network of bilateral trade agreements established by Portu-
gal with other European countries since the war has proved unsatisfactory to the
industry because in the majority of cases actual exports of canned fish have not
approached the contingents set in the respective agreements, The industry has been
extremely critical of the measures taken to protect its interests in the negotiation
of trade accords and has insisted that such accords must carry some quarantee of
comvliance on the part of the countries concerned, The development of canning in-
dustries in other countries and the consequent movenent to discourage or prohibit
imports of canned fish has also had its repercussions on the Portuguese industry,
This factor has been responsiple for the loss of Portuguese markets in Central and
South America,

Also, there is the severe competition represented by the Moroccan industry
which disposes of a plentiful supply of fish and cheap labor, The Moroccan pro-
duction represents a serious threat to the Portuguese industry since, because of
the local shortage of fish, it has tended to displace Portuguese products in their
traditional markets of
Western Europe, Ex-
ports of Moroccan can-=
ned fisn in 1949 were
twice those of Portu-
gal and are increasing
rapidly, ‘The United
Kingdom has this year
signed a collective
contract with Moroccan
producers for the pur-
chase of one million
cases of sardines and
is offering Portugal
a similar contract for
only half that amount,
Finally, the devalua-
tion of the escudo in
September 1949, while
it benefited Portuguese
exports to the United

UNLOADING SARDINES FROM THE HOLD OF A PORTUGUESE SARDINE AUXILIARY ‘
CRAFT. SINCE THERE 1S INSUFFICIENT SPACE IN THE MOTHERSHIP TO States, it also prej-~
HOLD THE FISH, THE MOTHERSHIP 1S ACCOMPANIED BY 3 OR 4 SMALL AUX- udiced them to all

|LIARY CRAFT TO TRANSPORT THE SARDINES, other countries, es-

pecially to the sterling area which has practically ceased purchases,

60 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES RbVinw Vol, 12, No, 10

Perhaps the basic need is a radical reorganization of the entire canning in-
dustry in the country with a view to reducing the present excessive number of face
tories, Such a reorganization was advocated in an article in the January 1950 ise
sue of Conservas de Peixe by Engineer Henrique Perreira, He points out that in
1947 there were 2,7 canning factories in continental Portugal employing 20,424
workers of both sexes, ‘These factories produced in that year approximately 1,900,000
cases of canned fish, whereas their theoretical capacity, as fixed by the Canned Fish
Institute, was more than three times that quantity, or about six million cases, ‘The
writer makes out a convincing case that the industry is over-equipped and that the
economic return on the capital invested in it cannot be remunerative under present
conditions, The solution he advances is a program of expropriating the smallest and
most antiquated plants and centralizing the production in the largest and most modern
establishments, Wherever possible, he proposes that surplus plant and equipment be
transferred to Angola for use in the fish canning industry there which the Government
is now seeking to expand,

Early in 1950 the Portuguese Canned Fish Institute presented an exposition to
the Government on the crisis of the industry in which it advocated the immediate
adoption of certain msasures,

In response to the requests made in the Institute's exposition, the Government
abolished the taxes on olive oil and peanut oil used by the industry, It also abol-
ished the export tax on canned fish which amounted to approximately four-tenths of a
cent a pound, The abolition of these two taxes will result in a saving to the pro-
ducers and exporters of about 42 cents per case, Finally, it exempted factory owners
during 1950 from the obligatory payment of three days' wages per week to workers as
called for in the collective labor contract,

Cod Pishery: Participating in the 1949 cod=-fishing campaign on the Grand Banks
off Newfoundland and Greenland were 17 trawlers and 47 schooners, ‘The trawlers made
two trips between late February and November, wnile the schooners made one trip ex=
tending from April to November, ‘The landed catch of the combined fleet amounted to
43,953 tons of salted green cod, compared with a catch of 35,932 tons for 1948 (tablel).
When dried, the 1949 salted green cod production will yield about 30,750 tonsof dried
cod, Im addition, the cod=fishing campaign also yielded some 600 tons of medicinal
oil and 120 tons of industrial oil, according to trade estimates,

The retail price of dried cod is controlled by regulation, The present average
(1950) is approximately 14 escudos per kilogram (about 22 cents per pound),

The cod-fishing fleet is still in the process of expansion, Four new trawlers
entered this fishery early in 1950, With the hope of gaining an advantage by fishing
close off the shores of Newfoundland, where in recent seasons there has been a greater
abundance of large cod, the schooner fleet in 1950 proceeded from Portugal about a
month earlier than usual,

The expanded and modernized cod fishing fleet has made notable progress in re-
cent years in supplying an. ever greater proportion of the Portuguese consumption of
dried cod, which is currently estimated at 60,000 tons annually, In 1949, the na-
tional catch resulted in the production of approximately 50 percent of the domestic
requirement, By comparison, in 1936, only about 8,500 tons of dried cod were produced
ee national catch, which covered only around 15 percent of the country's cone
sumption,

October 1950 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 61

Otter-Trawl Fishery: The Portuguese otteretrawl industry (which does not in-
clude the cod-fishing boats) during 1949 operated 98 trawlers in the eastern Atlantic
mainly off the coast of West Africa in the vicinity of Cape Blanco, ‘These trawlers
landed 54,545 tons of fish in 1949, compared with 53,327 tons in 1948 (table 1),

With the exception of Cape Blanco, all of the official fishing grounds for this
fleet were visited less in 1949, The preferenee for the Cape Blanco fishing grounds
is considered healthy since the ships fishing there have greater capacity and their
catches represent a greater return for the effort and capital involved,

The fishing policy of the Gremio is founded on two basic principles:
1, ‘The need of increasing the production,
2. The protection of the fisheries resources of the Portuguese coast

To achieve these ends, the Gremio has been promoting an increase in its high~
seas trawling fleet, and in collaboration with the Government, attempting to pre-
vent overfishing off the Portuguese coast, Thus, the policy is one of promoting
high production in fishing grounds off Portugal and defending the coastal fisheries
from too intense an exploitation,

There are no byproducts derived from the otter-trawl fishery, The whole fish
is sold at auction; occasionally, the head, tail, and other parts are retailed
separately for consumption by low-income groups,

According to trade sources, the average wholesale price for the entire trawl
catch (not including the cod fishery) in each of the years 1945 through 199 was as
follows (in escudos per kilo with the approximate U. S, value in cents per pound in
parenthesis): 1949--5,30 escudos per kilo (9,3 cents per pound); 1948--5.13 (9.3);
1947=-4.77 (8.7); 1946--4.75 (8.7); and 1945--4.57 (8.4). These are only average
prices--there is a considerable range between the highest and the lowest price,

The retail mark-up for the species of fish caught by the trawl fishery is any~
where from 30 to 60 percent, The retail prices of the more desirable varieties,
‘such as sole and whiting, are currently (1950) between 18 and 30 escudos per kilo
(28 to 47 cents per pound), The official ceiling prices for fresh fish, which had
been imposed during the war were removed in 1948,

At the close of 1949, the trawler fleet consisted of 100 vessels divided as
follows:

high-seas trawlers
coastal trawlers
pial restricted coastal trawlers

100 - with a gross tonnage of 18,741 metric tons

ES
tt

The greatest part of the trawler fleet is antiquated, but more than one-third
of the vessels being under ten' years of age, In 1949, 4 new units were added with
a total of 713 gross tons, Five high-seas trawlers are now under construction in
Portuguese shipyards, and it is anticipated that by the close of 1950 these five
and possibly a sixth will be in operations, The Gremio is seeking to have the pro-
prietors fit these ships with the latest equipment, such as, metal holds, refriger-

62 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol, 12, No, 10

ator facilities, etc, it is anticipated that the regular replacement of obsolete
units, with emphasis on high-seas trawlers as opposed to coastal vessels, will bring
about in a few years a general renovation of the fleet, which thus will not only be
expanded but modernized,

According to the Gremio, the number of men in the crews of the trawlers oper~
ating out of Lisbon is approximately 1,500, An additional 500 constitute the crews
of trawlers based on Figueira da Foz and Oporto, Im addition, the Gremio employs
about 1,000 men on shore in connection with the operation of its fish auction mar~
kets,

The Gremio maintains fish auction markets (lotas) at all the ports named above
with the Santos market at Lisbon being by far the largest and receiving approximately
65 percent of the total trawler catch, Upon discharge of the catch, the fish are
sorted out by species and weighed in boxes of 132 pounds each, ‘he auction method
is to begin with a fixed price and to gradually reduce the quotation until sales
are made, About half the wholesale sales are made to the fish women (varinas), who
sell the fish at retail in baskets throughout the city of Lisbon, Most of the reo
mainder goes into the public markets for sale, ‘There are no price ceilings {tabelas)
on fish and the prices are fixed by supply and demand, Certain discounts, however,
are made for fish sold to public hospitals and military units and for fish distri-
buted to interior points in the country. Some 20 percent of the fish sold at Santos
is distributed outside the Lisbon area,

Together with its efforts to maintain an increased production, the Gremio hag
sought to increase its sales services and distribution of fish in the country, To
this end in 1949, the regulations of the different auction markets were revised to
permit a speeding up of the operations of loading and selling the fish and a better
control of services and statistics, The results of these efforts are shown by the
fact that in the Santos auction market, average daily sales are now between 140 and
160 metric tons, whereas until recently only 80 or 90 tons were handled in the sams
length of time, During the entire year of 1949, the average quantity of fish ofe-
fered each day for sale was 115 tons,

Whale Fishery: The Azores and Madeira islands! catch normally consists of sperm
whales 8 only, while the Portuguese continental catch ordinarily is made up of about
Bacheneny eset Rees ( =E [Table 4 - Portuguese Whale Catch by Area, 1947-49
4). Fishing operations from
the continent in 1949 result-
ed in a very poor catch of only jl
37 whales, of whichthe more
valuable finbacks constituted
but a third, According. to
trade reports, the finback
whales avoided Portuguese
waters last year, however, they|
are this year reported to have
returned in large numbers and
a better than average catch is
expected in 1950,

a eo vy Pe Pe
lor whale Continent | Azores | Madeira | Total
eae
inback 11

[Spe

9

50
1
Tm 47 358 162 - 27

lt
SEI

947 (Sperm 1 oe ian
Rees ee)

lToa8

inback

| Total |

i1/Azores th Madeira combined.

According to official statistics, the 1949 production of sperm oil in the Azores
and Madeira was valued at 18,758,000 escudos ($727,810), while in 1948 the total pro-

October 1950 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 63

duction of whale oil in the islands and the continent was valued at 20,109,000 es-
cudos ($808,382). The whale products other than oil are of relatively small value—
in 1948, they were worth 1,380,000 escudos ($55,476) «

The Portuguese production of sperm whale oil represents slightly less than one-
tenth of the world's total production (table 5).

'

able 5 — Portuguese Production > Production of whale Products, 1947. Portugal is an ex-

ype of Product ae Be “Tiss Paar porting coumbry Meee
in metric tons spect to whale oil and

Azores and Madeira Islands: byproducts.

Sperm oil @eeeeveeeeoeesteaeeeeeeeaee

Ambergris eeeresesrerceeoeeseseseoeee 7; / The current (1950)
Continent: = = wholesale price f.0.b.

Sperm and finback of] .....seeee Portuguese, pores .for
Meat for human consumption ..... paste mele eke
BrESCTrVed MAL occ ciciclcies cc ccecee proximately 53 cents
MEG WMCA hole Slats = He lancledlaliie dtee per gallon.
RONGMMCAL we bieicvaiels’eleule Selerdieiclelaicee
Residues for fertilizer .eccoce,
Total .for Continent .cccccce
i/Data not available. 2/310 pounds. 3/14] pounds.

Continental fish-
ing began in 1944 in
response to the war-
time demand for edible
finback whale oil and
other byproducts. Only one firm is engaged in the business with head offices at
Setubal and a branch office in Lisbon. This firm has 3 vessels all equipped with
modern whale hunting devices, including cannon for the shooting of harpoons. One
of these vessels is a motor-driven ketch purchased in Norway and the other two are
converted sardine boats known locally as "traineiras." In addition to this small
fleet and fishing gear, the firm has a factory at the mouth of the Sado River near
Setubal for the processing of the whales caught and also a small installation at
Sacavem near Lisbon for the treatment of edible finback whale oil. It employs 40
men on its vessels and about 200 men at the two factories. Total investment is
calculated at approximately 10,500,000 escudos ($363,300).

Fishing operations are carried out from March to November but, in conformity
with the International Whaling Agreement to which Portugal is a party, they do
not extend over more than six months during the year on a daily basis, Fishing
is carried out on the continental shelf south of Setubal as far down as Cape St,
Vincent but does not extend more than 10-15 miles offshore, Once the whales are
harpooned and killed they are towed into Setubal for processing, The whaling
grounds are regularly traversed by whales swinming north along the Portuguese
coast and they are normally present in fairly abundant numbers,

According to the official statistics, 597 men were engaged in whaling in the
Azores and Madeira islands in 1947, operating 26 whale-hunting units, consisting
of 121 boats with a total tonnage of 471 metric tons, At present, there are about
33 units (armacoes) operating, consisting of approximately 150 small boats manned
by 800 men, Whale fishing is carried on from all the isiands of the Azores but
centers on the islands of Pico and Faial where about 70 whaling boats have their
home ports, At present there are four factories for the processing of the catch
with the islands of Flores, Pico, Faial, and Sao liiguel each possessing one, Two
more are under construction, one in Pico and one in Madeira, Total capital in~
vested in the industry in the Azores and Madeira is estimated at 20,000,000
($692,000), Fishing is carried on in the old-time manner of harpooning the whales
from small boats and no modern equipment or cannons are utilized,

64 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 12, No, 10

Besides the extraction of oil, the whale industry also produces whale meat
for human consumption, either fresh, in brine, or canned, Fresh whale meat is
consumed entirely in the Azores, and in the Setubal-Lisbon area as far as the cone
tinental area is concerned, The small amount of canned whale meat produced is
exported principally to France, Whale meat meal and whale bone meal is used for
cattle feed and most of the local production is exported, principally to Germany
and Belgium, Residues remaining from tne treatment of the whales are used in
Portugal for fertilizer,

A Government delegate to the corporative fishing organization addressed the
National Assembly at the end of 1949 on the economic crisis of the whale fishing
industry, brought about by the decline in foreign demand for sperm whale oil,
After describing the difficult situation of the industry and the danger that the
capital invested in it might be lost if present conditions continue, he called
for the Government to step in and extend financial assistance and relief both to
the operators and the fishermen,

At the present time Portugal has a stock of about 4,000 tons of sperm whale
oil for which no foreign marxets can be found, To provide an outlet for some of
this surplus, the Government has recently approved the mixing of 1,000 tons of
it with gas oil sold for fuel on the continent, The Government is paying the
owners of the oil for the difference in price for the thousand tons thus utilized,
Because of the large surplus of sperm oil existing and the limited amount which
can be absorbed by such expedients, it is anticipated that fishing for sperm whales
will be greatly reduced in 1950 if it is not stopped altogether,

A decree published in the Diario Do Governo of September 11 exempts whale and
sperm oil from export duty, as a means of relieving the crisis in the industry,
World warkets for whale oil are reported, however, to have improved recently to
such an extent that the need for the relief is less urgent than it was a few months
ago, a September 15 American Embassy dispatch from Lisbon reports, The exemption
is also intended to facilitate shipment of whale oil to foreign countries for
hydrogenation, there being no hydrogenating equipment in Portugal; a separate clause
provides for a reduction of 50 percent from the minimum duty on hydrogenated oil re=
imported by the leading manufacturer of margarineandvegetable lard, if made from raw
oil exported by that company,

EXPERIMENTAL USE OF HELICOPTER FOR WHALE FISHING: Early in April 1950 experi-
ments in whale hunting were carried out off the Portuguese coast with a helicopter.
The British helicopter, which carries three persons, has facilities for the launch-
ing of harpoons from the air and is expected to be extremely effective in locating
and killing whales at sea, Its maximum speed is 100 miles an hour, If the experi-
ments come up to anticipations, the Portuguese whaling firm on the Continent is ex=-
pected to vurchase one of these helicopters for its own use, j

Exports: Italy, the United Kingdom, the United States, Belgium-Luxembourg, and
France (in that order) were the principal importers of Portuguese canned fish, Bel-
gium was the principal purchaser of sardines, followed closely by the United Kingdom
and substantial quantities were imported by Italy and France, with the United States
in fifth place, ‘The United Kingdom was the principal purchaser of chinchards; Bel-
gium of mackerel; Italy of tuna; and the United States of anchovies,

The possibility of expanding exports of sardines to the United States is condi-
tioned by otner factors than the exchange rate, Most important is the American tariff

October 1950 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 65

a Se vehis ——] anton orreen
padiow —— eee ras ——] ot United States

3,026,439
14,195,000 He

KOTO c00icce cine cecic 000 11,332 ,000 3,804
a and similar species 53,573,000 | 2,078,632 189 , 556

i a 78,880,000} 3,060,544 5,017,965
uttlefish and squid wee. 4,184,000 9 ts 61,651
Other species seccoesecce 1,193,000 24,567

TOE LP cisleibslsicialceleioistnia 1,357,811 51,422,118 | 458,659,000 | 17 “= = |__8,523, 982
4

size), each can containing 45 0z.

on sardines, About 95 percent of Portugal's exports of sardines to the United States
consist of the boneless and boneless-skinless types which are packed chiefly as a
specialty for the American market, ‘These enter the United States at an ad-valorem
duty of 30 percent, Norwegian canned brislings, on the other hand, pay 15 percent
ad-valorem duty as the result of a reduction in the applicable rate under the GATT
program, The competitive disadvantage at which the Portuguese products has been placed
in the United States is of serious concern to local exporters,

The Canned Fish Institute, as a result of a visit of one of its directors to the
United States in 1948 to study the market for sardines, has drawn up a plan promoting
American sales and has collected approximately $100,000 from its members for this
purpose, However, nothing has yet been done to implement this scheme pending a
decision b: the Government as to what form Portugal's projected over-all dollar ex-
port promotion program should take,

Exports of anchovies in 1949 reached one of the highest levels in recent years
and might have done much to compensate for the deficit in sardines if the competition
among Portuguese exporters had not depressed prices to unremunerative levels, ‘Thus,
the price of $11.00 per case for fillets of anchovies, prevailing in April of 1949,
was forced down to as low as $7.00 per case at the close of the year, The same situ-
ation occurred with respect to the export price of canned mackerel,

Exportsof canned tuna fell 28 percent in volume and 19,500,000 escudos (U.S.$756,600)
in value in relation to 1948, due to a marked decline in exports to the United States
and Italy which were not compensated by increased purchases by the United Kingdom,
Italian purchases declined because of the difficulty in obtaining exchange, large
offerings of Spanish tuna in that market, and canpetition from a new source—refri-~
gerated tuna imported from Norway and Denmark, In the United States, the importation
of Japanese tuna practically eliminated the possibility of effective competition as
far as the Portuguese product was concerned,

Exports of fish in brine in 1949 (output of the coastal fisheries) totaled 1466
metric tons--411 tons of sardines and 55 tons of other species, Greece was the prin-
cipal market for sardines in brine, taking 273 tons, The value of exports of fish
in brine, 3,559,000 escudos ($138,089), was far below the value for the 1948 exports,
which were valued at 27,500,000 eseudos ($1,105,500).

Frozen fish exports in 1949 amounted to 259 tons, valued at 4,144,000 escudos
($160,787). These consisted mainly of octopus (120 tons) and sardines (93 tons),
The United States was the principal market, taking 161 tons of the total. However,

66 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol, 12, No, 10

the recently established frozen fish industry suffered a marked reduction in its
exports in 194.9, chiefly because Argentina, hitherto the principal market, has pro-
hibited the entry of the Portuguese frozen fish,

Fresh fish exportswere negligible in 1949--72 tons, valued at 606,000 escudos
(U.S.$23,513), were supplied to foreign ships in Portuguese ports,

In addition, Portugal exported the following fishery byproducts during 1949
(according to official statistics); 2,752 tons of fish meal to the United States;
1,489 tons of sardine oil (1,327 tons to Germany, 139 tons to Norway, and 27 tons
to Czechoslovakia); 1,031 tons of sperm whale oil (695 tons to France, 205 tons to
Holland, 105 tons to Denmark, and 26 tons to other countries); 156 tons of finback
whale oil to Germany; and 58 tons of cod=liver oil to the United States, (Also
trade sources report that the exports of cod=-liver oil probably totaled 500 tons),

Imports: Portugal imported 27,609 metric tons of fresh and dried cod during
1949, valued at 257,172,000 escudos (U.S.$9,978,274). Imports by country of origin
in metric tons were as follows: Norway 9,785; Newfoundland 5,197; Denmark 5,121;
Iceland 3,252; France 3,222; Greenland 549; England 180, Imports from Norway, New-
foundland, and the United Kingdom were fresh cod (preserved with salt or ice),

Imports of fish of the same varieties caught in the domestic sardine fishery
during 1949 amounted to 390 tons, valued at 2,619,000 escudos (U.S,.$101,617) and
consisted mainly of tuna in brine from the Portuguese African colonies, Spain, and
French Morocco,

Fresh fish imports in 1949 amounted to 1,606 tons, valued at 10,246,000 escudos
(U.S.$397,545). The bulk (1,138 tons) was imported from Spain and the balance from
French Morocco and Tangier,

Consumption: In one form or another, fish is a very basic element in the Portu-
guese diet, Dried cod is by far the most important staple of the diet, Annual con-
sumption of dried cod amounts to around 60,000 tons, In recent years, there has been
an increasing use of salted fish (salted sardines and chinchards), The amount of can-
ned fish consumed in Portugal is small because fish packers operate predominantly for
export, The annual consumption of fish is reported to be about 23 times the combined
consumption of beef, pork, sheep, goats, and poultry,

NOTE: VALUES IN U.S. DOLLARS SHOWN THROUGHOUT THIS ARTICLE ARE BASED ON THE FOLLOWING RATES OF
EXCHANGE: -1950--! PORTUGUESE ESCUDO EQUALS 3.46 U.S. CENTS; 1949~--1 ESCUDO EQUALS 3.88 U.S. CENTS;

1948--! ESCUDO EQUALS 4.02 U.S. CENTS.

Spain

FISHERY BYPRODUCTS INDUSTRY: Introduction: The fishing industry of Spain is
not only one of the country's important economic resources, but one of the leading
sources of its food supply, The Spanish fishing fleet is composed of some 37,500
units of many types (from row boats to steam-propelled vessels), with a gross tonnage
of about 210,000 metric tons, a February 28 American consular dispatch from Vigo re-
ports,

The annual catch of the fishing fleet is estimated at about 500,000 metric tons,
of which about 25 percent is said to be processed in the 200 odd canning and pickling
plants operating in Spain,

Octover 1950 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 67

Importance of Fishery Byproducts: In spite of the abundance of raw material, the
processing of fish waste was not attempted in Spain until about 1935 when the manu-
facture of fish meal from the residue of the canneries was undertaken by one of the
largest local fish canners, one of whose members spent some time in the United States
studying the industrial processing of fish byproducts, Until then, fish scrap and
waste, after the fish oil had been extracted, was either dumped into the sea or sold
as fertilizer, The peak of the fishing season coincides with the period during which
fertilizer is in demand, Because of the scarcity and high cost of nitrogen fertilizers,
the agricultural industry continues to be the fish meal industry's biggest competitor
for fish residue,

The value of fish byproducts was soon realized and the processing thereof was
steadily stepped up, However, the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in July 1936 ana
the dislocation of normal sources of supply caused by the outbreak of World War II,
which followed the end of the Civil War in 1939, prevented any further development,
The plants that were established coutinue, tnerefore, to operate with the same machin-~
ery and equipment that was originally installed in 1935,

Raw Material Used in Fish Reduction Plants: Mostly fish scrap and waste are pro-
cessed by reduction plants, While the following calculations on the quantities of

fish scrap and waste that are available for processing may not be considered too re-
liable, they may be of some value in appraising the situation, Of the roughly 125,000
tons of fresh fish that are normally available to the canneries, and picklers and
smokers annually, 60 percent are purchased by the former and 40 percent by the picklers

and smokers,

Fish waste and scrap from picklers and smokers is disposed of as fertilizer, after
the fish oil has been extracted, Therefore, the amount of material that would normally
be available for processing in fish-meal plants should average 22,500 tons, since fish
residue represents, roughly, 30 percent of the weight of the fish purchased by the can-
neries, The greater part of this amount, however, is at present sold as fertilizer,

The bulk of the fish scrap and waste processed in fish meal plants comes from sar-
dines (pilchard) and jurel (Trachurus trachurus), and to a lesser extent from bonito
(albacore)--the principal varieties used by the canneries,

The scarcity of these varieties during the past two or three years also greatly
reduced the possibility of any expansion of the fish-meal processing industry due
to its complete dependence on the canneries,

Because fish meal must reach the market at prices within the limited purchasing
power of the farmers, fish-meal processors have found the processing of even the
cheapest fish specimens uneconomical, Only on the very rare occasions when the price
of jurel has fallen below pesetas 0,40 per kilo (about $1.66 per cwt,) at first sale,
have fish meal processors purchased substantial quantities of this variety for pro-
cessing,

Fish Reduction Season; Spanish fish meal plants are prepared to work all year
round, The busiest months of the year, however, are from the latter part of August
to the end of the year, which are the months of the heaviest catches of sardines and
jurel,

Fish Meal Production: According to the largest fish-meal processing company
in Spain, from 16 to 18 tons of fish meal are obtained from 100 metric tons of fish

68 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol, 12, No, 10

scrap and waste, However, due to the competition of the farmers for fish scrap and
waste for fertilizing purposes, it is estimated that the output of the fish-meal
plants during 1949 was not more than 650 or 700 tons, ‘The demand for fish meal is
estimated at about 2,000 tons,

Fish Reduction Process: The first step in the processing of the fish scrap and
waste is the extraction by a pressure process of all liquid elements which are de=
posited in large tanks, The residue is then dried by means of hot-air conveyors be=
fore it is passed on to the grinding mill, The second and only other step is the
extraction of the oils and greases from the liquid elements deposited in the tanks,
which is accomplished by a centrifugal process, The waste, or stickwater, that ree
mains is estimated to amount to 400 tons to each 500 tons of liquid,

Stickwater; In spite of the fact that the Lassen system for the processing of
waste stickwater created an interest among the fish-meal processors, no one has,
until recently, given the matter any thought,

The possibility of processing fish stickwater, in accordance with Lassen's
system, is now being studied by the Spanish processors, but the qpinion is exe
pressed that it would not pay to install the necessary equipment at this time due
to the limited volume of material available from the fish canneries,

if

Sweden

ee, ee ee. Oe

tend the system of price and market regulation (including fishery products) until
July 1951 and took certain steps to centralize the exports of fishery products,

Exports of fishery products have met with increasing difficulties this year
die to the bilateral trade agreements, and licensing and centralization of imports
in certain foreign countries, Stocks of fish were high during the first four months
this year and surpluses were used for the production of fish meal, an August 15
American Embassy dispatch from Stockholm reports,

GOVERNMENT FROPOSES EXTENSION OF "GENERAL WATERS FOR FISHING:" A bill propos-

ing, among other things, a certain extension of "general waters" in which anybody
should have the right to fish, has been submitted by the Government,

me oe ek me

Oe, OS eee O_O

that Norwegian patrol boats on repeated occasions had intercepted Swedish shrimp
trawlers in international waters south of Farder (Norway ) in the Skagerak and
ordered them not to operate within eight nautical miles of the Norwegian coast was
made by the Central Organization or the Swedish West Coast Fishermen in a letter
to the Swedish Government published on August 15.

The most recent incidents of this nature were said to have occurred on July 25,
when 20 Swedish trawlers were intercepted while fishing in what they regarded as
their old fishing groundsin the waters between fourand eight nauticalmiles south of
Farder; and on July 27, when ten trawlers were similarly chased away froma point

October 1950 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 69

b 3 miles south of Farder, One of the Swedish fishing vessels was reported to have
been threatened with gunfire by a Norwegian patrol boat,reports an August 18 Ameri-
can Embassy dispatch from Stockholm, Fishing, therefore, had to be abandoned and
the trawlers returned to their home ports, They reported that a large number of
Norwegian shrimp trawlers had been fishing in the same waters at the time and that
even a Danish trawler had been allowed to remain although fishing much closer to
the Norwegian shore,

The Swedish fishermen protested against what they considered discriminatory
treatment in their "lawful pursuits" and requested that the Swedish Government
approach the Norwegian Government in an effort to rectify the situation,

The matter is now being considered both by the Swedish Ministry of Agriculture,
to which the Fishery Administration is subordinated, and by the Foreign Office,

With regard to the most recent incidents reported, the Foreign Minister was
quoted by the press as saying:

"Swedish fishermen must naturally for the time being respect the
Norwegian regulations pending a settlement of the dispute by agreement
between the two Governments, It should be recalled in this connection
that a dispute regarding the same question of principle concerning ter-
ritorial waters in Norwegian fjords is under consideration by the Hague
Court as a case between the United Kingdom and Norway,"

ea
~ J

\
=

ae.

REAFFIRMS CLAIM TO TWELVE-MILE LIMIT IN BALTIC: ‘The Soviet Government, replying
to Swedish-Danish notes of July 24 regarding territorial waters in the Baltic, has
reaffirmed its claim to the twelve-mile limit, according to Stockholm press reports

quoted by a September 7 American Embassy dispatch from that city,

Vy

The Soviet reply, as summarized by the Swedish Foreign Office, asserts that no
general rules of international law exist regarding extent of territorial waters and
that determination thereof falls within "exclusive competence" of each respective
state, Reply also states that the extent of Russian territorial waters was estab-
lished under decree of 1927, regarding Soviet frontiers, and that no extension has
been made of Russian territorial waters,

“S

Venezuela

SSsSE_=€EP(=EO SSO OE OS CS eC

fronting the Venezuelan fish canners has two solutions for immediate application:
stop importatious and establish rules and regulations for fish, according to an
article which appeared in El Nacional of August 27 and which quoted the President
of the Association of Fish Canners, He believes that unless measures are promptly
taken to solve the problem definitively, the situation of the local fish canners
will reach alarming proportions, aSeptember 1 American consular dispatch from
Caracas states,

1/ SEE COMMERCIAL FISHER!ES REVIEW, AUGUST 1950, PP. 63-4,

70 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol, (12) Nowe ro

In addition, the President of the Association announced that four of the
principal fish canners have stopped canning, and that of the three now in operation,
two will have to close shortly.

All the Venezuelan canners through their association are advertising the fol-
lowing wholesale prices:

Type of Product

Sardines:
In peanut OD) ic. cisiv'e cle cleee
In hot peppers .cccercccece
UMmcOMATOSSictelelelelo ctedereleteiore
PACS raters te\chatiole’ evclolekchcreye
PACING Aiiteleletelel ieleletaiclctateislereie

Natural, in peanut Oi1 wee | |
2/Converted on the basis of 1 Venezuelan bolivar equals 29.8507 U. S. cents.

EGYPTIAN FISHERIES

Manufacturing operations inthe Egyptian fishing industryare limited

| to the canning of sardines at the Suez landing point and in a small

factory at Aboukir near Alexandria during the short sardine season last-
ing for about four months,

h The Aboukir factory was established in 1941 with a paid-up capital
of 50,000 Egyptian pounds, With some 100 workers,it has an annual output
of 200 metric tons, Gmall takings of sardines during the current season
have restricted operations this year,

The only other operation is the salting of mullet and sardines in

|} a very primitive way, using barrels and empty gasoline cans,

There appears to be a need of canning factories during the sardine

season, Egyptian waters are also rich in mollusks and crustaceans which

| might be preserved, An effort has been made to can shrimp but results
so far have not been satisfactory,

Other secondary industries are the manufacture of fish oils, fish
meal and fertilizers, All of these are projects which shouldreceive the
attention of local authorities as well as the National Government for
the expansion of Egyptian canning, smoking, salting and preserving in-
dustries would absorb thousands of workers and reduce unemployment,

--Fishery Leaflet 363

October 1950 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 71

por, FEDERAL
ef, ACTIONS

Department of the Interior

FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE
FISHERIES TRAINING PROGRAM OF FILIPINOS TERMINATED: The program of providing

practical training for Filipinos in fisheries under the Philippine Rehabilitation
Act of 1946 was terminated on September 23. On this date, the last group of 23
trainees departed from San Francisco to the Philippines after being presented with

certificates of merit awarded by the Director of the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Pa 4 |

PRESENTATION OF CERTIFICATES OF MERIT TO FILIPINO FISHERY TRAINEES, SAN FRANCISCO, CALIF,,
DECEMBER 2, 1948, LEFT TO RIGHT: TRAINEE SUSANO V. CAMILOTES; ENSIGN WILLIS UNCAPHER, U. S.
MARITIME SERVICE; DR. STILLMAN WRIGHT, U. S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE; CAPTAIN M. E. CROSS-
MAN, U. S. MARITIME SERVICE; TRAINEE VICENTE B. ALCERA. THE LAST AWARD OF CERTIFICATES WAS
MADE TO TRAINEES AT SAN FRANCISCO ON SEPTEMBER 23 THIS YEAR.

72 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 12, No. 10

The Service is informed that opportunities for employment in the fisheries
exist for these men upon their return to the Philippines. Of the 102 other Fil-
ipino trainees who have completed their training previously, all but a very few
are now employed in the fisheries or fishery administration, thus utilizing their
training to good advantage.

This training program would not have been successful without the widespread
and generous cooperation of the commercial fishing industry and other interested
organizations throughout the United States.

fon)

Food and Drug Administration

"PACIFIC PERCH" NOT APPROPRIATS FOR ROCKFISH ("SEBASTODES ALUTUS") FILLETS:
Earlier this year, some me Columbia River processors of rockfish fillets asked the
Food and Drug Administration its opinion with reference to the use of "Pacific
Perch" as a market name for fillets of the Pacific rockfish Sebastodes alutus,.
On August 23, the Food and Drug Administration replied that the name "Pacific
Perch" was not appropriate for the species in question. The full text of the
reply’ by P. B. Dunbar, Commissioner of Food and Drugs follows:

"We have given very careful consideration to the petitions
you have submitted on behalf of members of the West Coast fish-
eries industry in support of a proposal to market fillets of the
species of Pacific rockfish, Sebastodes alutus, as'Pacific Perch.'

"After a review of the available facts, it is our opinion
that the name ‘Pacific Perch' is not appropriate as applied to
fillets of Sebastodes alutus and that the product so labeled
would be in violation of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.

"The industry petition stresses the similarity of Sebastodes
alutus to Sebastes marinus, commonly marketed as ‘Ocean Perch,’
in support of the proposal of the name ‘Pacific Perch' for the
former species. While the two species do resemble one another,
they are, in fact, distinct species and the Act as interpreted
by the courts does not confer upon us authority to sanction the
use of the same or essentially the same name for articles of food
of different identities.

"The situation which resulted in the industry proposal arises,
we understand, from the fact that this fish species has not pre-
viously been marketed commercially and, therefore, has no estab-
lished common or usual name. In seeking to establish a common or
usual name for a new product it is, of course, a basic principle
that an erroneous or misleading designation should not be used.
The name 'Perch' as applied to Sebastodes-alutus is erroneous
since the fish is not one of the perches. In occasional instances,
misnomers have become established as common or usual names for
fishes on the basis of general acceptance and long usage where
the names do not conflict with those of other established species.
Such instances are rare and the necessary conditions do not exist
in the case before us.

"We regret that we cannot make a favorable response to your
petition."

October 1950 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 73

Department of State
U. S. REPRESENTATIVES TO FAO H&RRING MEETINGS NAMED: The United States Gov-

ernment will be represented at two meetings being convened by the Food and Agricul-
ture Organization (FAO) at Bergen, Norway, a September 15 State Department release
announced. Harold E. Crowther, Chief, Technological Section, Fish and Wildlife
Service, Department of the Interior, has been designated as delega and Herbert C.
Davis, President, Terminal Island Sea Foods Ltd., Terminal Island, ifornia, as
adviser.

The first meeting, the FAO Meeting on Herring Technology, will begin on Sep-
tember 24 and will be concerned with technological problems related to the process-
ing, marketing, and distribution of herring. Participants will present papers sum
marizing the latest research and technical developments related to herring.

The FAO Meeting of Fisheries Technologists will be convened on September 30,
immediately following the Meeting on Herring Technology. The purpose of the second
meeting is to consider the desirability of arranging for continued cooperation among

fisheries technologists on a regional basis.

I/SEE COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW, SEPTEMBER 1950, P. 58

* * KK *

U. S. DELEGATION DESIGNATED FOR FORTHCOMING TARIFF NEGOTIATIONS: 2/ Including
the United States, 39 countries are expected to participate in the forthcoming tar-
iff negotiations under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade scheduled at

Torquay, England, beginning September 28. The United States has announced its in-
tention of negotiating with 24 of those 39 countries, a September 21 Department of

State release announced,

The members of the United States Delegation have been designated from the De-
partments of State, Commerce, Agriculture, Treasury, Labor, Interior ,2/ Defense, and
the Tariff Commission and Economic Cooperation Administration.

With a view to becoming contracting parties to the General Agreement, 7 coun-
tries are expected to participate in the negotiations. These are Austria, the Fed-
éral Republic of Germany, Guatemala, Korea, Peru, the Republic of the Philippines,
and Turkey.

The existing contracting parties will negotiate among themselves for new and
broader trade-barrier concessions in addition to those granted at Geneva in 1947.
The "new" countries will negotiate among themselves and with the existing contract-
ing parties. Each country will negotiate with those others with which its trade
provides a basis for mutually advantageous concessions,

The United States has announced its intention of negotiating with the follow-
ing 24 countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Cuba, Denmark, the
Dominican Republic, France, the Federal Republic of Germany, Guatemala, India, In-
donesia, Italy, Korea, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Sweden,
Turkey, the Union of South Africa, and the United Kingdom.

In preparation for the forthcoming negotiations, the Inter-Departmental Trade-
Agreements Organization of the United States Government has made an item-by-item
study of the products on which the United States may either request or offer con-
cessions during the negotiations. In accordance with Executive Order No. 10082,
the Tariff Commission has provided, with regard to each import item on which a

I/SEE COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW, SEPTEMBER 1950, PP. 62-4; JUNE 1950, PP. 68-9; APRIL
1950, PP. 83-6. ‘

2/ AMENDMENT OF EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 10082 OF OCTOBER 5, 1949 (1SSUED BY THE WHITE HOUSE ON
OCTOBER I2, 1950) PROVIDES FOR THE REPRESENTATION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR ON
THE INTERDEPARTMENTAL COMMITTEE ON TRADE AGREEMENTS AND THE COMMITTEE FOR RECIPROCITY

INFORMATION.

7h COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 12, No. 10

United States concession may be considered, a study of production, consumption,
trade, competitive factors, and probable effects of a concession. The Department
of Commerce has made a similar study for each export item on which the UnitedStates
may request a concession from a foreign country.

It is on the basis of the studies of the various Government agencies partic-—
ipating in the trade-agreements program, and of the views and information developed
at the public hearings, that the Interdepartmental Committee on Trade Agreements
makes its recommendations to the President with regard to concessions which are to
be sought or offered during the negotiations. What concessions are actually ob-
tained or granted depends, of course, on the success of the negotiations.

At the conclusion of the country-with-country negotiations at Torquay all the
schedules of concessions will be examined by all the participating countries and,
if they are approved, will be integrated into the General Agreement. All conces-
sions granted by each country will be applicable to the products of all the other
contracting parties and will not be limited merely to the country with which they
were initially negotiated.

* OK KOK OK

TERMINATION OF TRADE AGREEMENT WITH MEXICO TO BECOMR EFFECTIVE: The Presi-
dent, on September 6, 1950, signed a proclamation giving effect to the termination
as of December 31, 1950, of the trade agreement between the United States and Mex-
ico concluded in 1942, states a September 8 news release from the Department of
State. The termination was jointly agreed to by the two governments through an ex--

change of notes on June 23, 1950.1

For some articles on which the general United States tariff rates will be in-
creased as a result of the termination, the proclamation specifies the increased
preferential rates applicable to products of Cuba to which preferential tariff
treatment applies.

I/SEE COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW, JULY 1950, PP. 58-9.

* OK OK OK OX

SOME IMPORT DUTIES ON FISH WILL INCREASE WITH CHINESE WITHDRAWAL FROM GATT:
The United States proposes to terminate certain tariff concessions granted in the
General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), and initially negotiated with China
at Geneva in 1947, according to a Department of State press release dated Septem-
ber 13. This action will be taken as a result of China's withdrawal from the Gen-

eral Agreement, effective May 6, 1950.

Among other products, fishery products will be affected as shown on the next
page (column 1 lists duties under the Agreement and colum 2 lists the pre-agree-
ment duties).

A presidential proclamation will be required to give effect to these new rates,
which will enter into force as provided in the proclamation, but not less than 30
days after the date of the proclamation.

The list issued does not include all concessions originally negotiated with
China. Concessions not included in this list will not be terminated at the
present time. Such concessions apply to certain items (canned oysters is the only
fishery product included) in which contracting parties to the General Agreement,

October 1950 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 75

Item No. Description of Products

719(5 |Fish, pickled or salted (except fish packed
in oil or in oil and other substances, and
except fish packed in air-tight containers
weighing with their contents not more than
15 pounds each):

Other fish (not including fish provided
for in subdivisions (1), (2), (3),
and (4) of paragraph 719, Tariff Act
of 1930):

Column 2
Most favored nation)

In bulk or in immediate containers li¢_per
weighing with their contents more lb. net
than 15 pounds each (except ale- weight
wives)

In immediate containers (not air-
tight) weighing with their con-
tents not more than 15 pounds 25%
each (including alewives) ad val.

1624 Fish sounds Free

other than China, have a substantial interest and also certain items on which such
other countries have specifically requested consultation with the United States, as
provided for in the General Agreement. Action to terminate concessions in the lat-
ter category will not be taken until such consultations have been completed.

In accordance with the provisions of the Trade Agreements Act, the new rates
of duty resulting from termination of the concessions initially negotiated with
China will apply to imports from all foreign countries, except for such preferen-
tial treatment as may be accorded to the products of Cuba and the Philippines.

Oe
i W

Eighty-first Congress (Second Session)

SEPTEMBER !I950

Both the Senate and the Houseadjourned on September 23, 1950, until November 27,
1950,

Listed below are public bills and resolutions introduced and referred to com-
mittees, or passed by the Eighty-First Congress (Second Session) and signed by the
President, that affect in any way the fisheries and allied industries. Public bills
and resolutions are shown in this section only when introduced and, if passed, when
they are signed by the President; and reports or hearings on any of the bills shown
in this section from month to month are also listed.

BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS INTRODUCHD:

Senate:
S. 4167 (Johnson of Colorado) - A bill to au- S. Res. 355 (Malone) - Resolution opposing reduction
~ thorize the waiver of the navigation and ves- of tariff rates during the effective period of the
sel-inspection laws; to the Committee on In- Defense Production Act of 1950; to the Committee

terstate and Foreign Commerce. on Finance.

76

COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW

House:

H. R. 9681 - same as S. 4167; to the Committee

on Interstate and Foreign Commerce.

H. R. 9724 (Flood) - A bill to create a Sus-
quehanna Watershed Commission, and for other
purposes; to the Committee on Public Works.
(Includes those portions of the watershed
of the Susquehanna and its tributaries in
Pennsylvania, New York, and Maryland.)

The following was introduced prior to Sep-

tember 1, 1950, and was not previously reported
in this section:

H. J. Res. 437 (Latham) - Joint resolution
establishing a Federal Motor Vehicle Com
mission for the purpose of making uniform
laws pertaining to operation, ownership,
and control of motor vehicles; to the Com
mittee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce.
March 13, 1950.

SIGNED BY THE PRESIDENT:

P. L. 751 (He R. 9134) - An Act to amend title
46 (Section 4311) of U. S. Code relative to
foreign fishing vessels in U. S. waters.
Signed September 2, 1950.

P. L. 759 (H. R. 7786) - An Act making appro-
priations for the support of the Government
for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1951, and

for other purposes. Signed September 6, 1950.

(Included are the appropriations for the Fish
and Wildlife Service.)

P. L. 764 (S, 2633) - An Act to give effect to
the Convention for the Establishment of an
International Commission for the Scientific
Investigation of Tuna, signed at Mexico City,
January 25, 1949, by the United States of
America and the United Mexican States, and
the Convention for the Establishment of an
Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission,
Signed at Washington, May 31, 1949, by the
United States of America and the Republic
of Costa Rica, and for other purposes.
Signed September 7, 1950.

P. L. 774 (H. R. 9176) - An Act to establish a
system of priorities and allocations for
materials and facilities, authorize the req-
uisitioning thereof, provide financial as-
sistance for expansion of productive capacity
and supply, provide for price and wage sta-
bilization, provide for the settlement of
labor disputes, strengthen controls over
credit, and by these measures facilitate the
production of goods and services necessary
for the national security, and for other
purposes, Signed September 8, 1950. (Con-
tains seven titles: Title I - Priorities
and allocations; Title II - Authority to
requisition; Title III - Expansion of pro-
ductive capacity and supply; Title IV - Price
and wage stabilization; Title V - Settlement
of labor disputes; Title VI - Control of
consumer and real estate credit; Title VII -
General provisions.)

P. L. 776 (S. 868) - An Act to provide for the

Vol. 12, No. 10

dissemination of technological, scientific,
and engineering information to American busi~
ness and industry, and for other purposes,
Signed September 9, 1950. (The purpose of
this Act is to make the results of techno-
logical research and development more readily
available to industry and business, and to
the general public, by clarifying and de-
fining the functions and responsibilities

of the Department of Commerce as a central
clearinghouse for technical information
which is useful to American industry and
business. )

CONGRESSIONAL REPORTS:

Copies of the reports listed available only

from the committee submitting the report.

Senate Committee on Forsign Relations

Report No. 2450 (August 28, 1950), 16 p., printed,

to accompany H. J. Res. 354, to amend certain
laws providing for membership and participation
of the United States to five international or-
ganizations of which the United States is a
member. This resolution reported favorably
with one amendment and passage was recommended
by the Committee. (The organizations included
in this resolution are the American Interna-
tional Institute for the Protection of Child-
hood, Food and Agriculture Organization, South
Pacific Commission, World Health Organization,
and International Labor Organization. In its
conclusion, the Committee stated that the U-
nited States is making an effort to reduce its
share of expenses in most international or-
ganizations. The Committee believes that this
resolution will give the Department of State
the necessary latitude to meet our responsi-
bilities to the international organizations
covered by this resolution.)

House Committee of Conference

House Report No. 3042 (Conference Report) (Au-

“gust 31, 1950), 40 p., printed, to accompany
H.R. 9176, to establish a system of priorities
and allocations for materials and facilities,
authorize the requisitioning thereof, provide
financial assistance for expansion of pro-
ductive capacity and supply, strengthen con-
trols over credit, regulate speculation on
commodity exchanges, and by these measures
facilitate the production of goods and services
necessary for the national security, and for
other purposes. The Coumittee recommended that
the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate to the text of the bill
and agree to the same with an amendment. (This
bill to be cited as the "Defense Production Act
of 1950," with the following five titles:

Title I - Priorities and allocations; Title II -
Authority to requisition; Title III - Expansion
of productive capacity and supply; Title IV -
Price and wage stabilization; Title V - Settle-
ment of labor disputes; Title VI - Control of
consumer and real estate credit; and Title VII -
General provisions, The full text of the bill
as submitted by the Committee is given in this
report, as well as a statement of the managers
on the part of the house.)

October 1950 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 77

House Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries present law the following: "and the proceeds
of such sales and of the sales of other products

Report No, 3052 (September 11, 1950), 3 p., of the wildlife resources of the Pribilof Is-
printed, to accompany S. 3123, to amend Section lands shall be deposited into the Treasury.
5 of the Act of February 26, 1944, entitled "An There is hereby authorized to be appropriated
Act to give effect to the Provisional Fur Seal annually an amount, not exceeding the total
Agreement of 1942 between the United States of proceeds of such sales covered into the Treas-
America and Canada; to protect the fur seals ury during the preceding fiscal year, for the
of the Pribilof Islands; and for other purposes," purposes of this Act and for the development
Committee reported bill favorably without amend- ef the fur seal and other wildlife resources
ment and recommended passage. (Adds to the of the Pribilof Islands and the proper utili-

zation of their products.")

———_—__

STATE OF WASHINGTON COMMERCIAL FISHERIES--ECONOMIC VALUE OF

PRODUCTION AND CAPITAL INVESTMENT, I949-/

1. Wholesale value of fishery products and byproducts,
including canned, smoked, kippered, mild-cured,
and frozen fish; vitamin oils and fish meal.
(Includes $30,941,256 paid to fishermen for
their-eanch.)|_ sancnad docceecsesdamiensosingeacana. 0 Ol, Oeste

Value of fishing vessels, tenders, scows, and other
floating equipment e@eeeeeceeseeevrevresseeeeeeeseeeed 63,638,924

Value of fishing” 26ar sc clcadeleiscialeralelcl@ieisiclete siclcs sislse alate 11,932,699

Amount invested in plants and stationary equipment,
including freezers, smokehouses, machinery,
docks, and OFLICES, accrccccesccccccccccescccccccce 25,092,928

Operating expenses and salaries (does not inolude
amount paid to fishermen for fish). weccccccccces 34,899,794

Amount spent annually for provisions, clothing,
paint, oil, gasoline, Diesel fuel, electronic
gear, replacement of engines, and other me-
chanical gear (operating expenses and salaries
of supply houses not known or included). ...cecee 16,982 ,436

Amount invested in boat yards, building and over-
hauling almost entirely vessels engaged in
commercial fishing (operating expenses and
salaries of building yards not known or in-
cluded). COP HOT OH TAHH HEHEHE HHOH EEE HELLO OE EESEOS 41,458,281

8, Capitalizing and financing at 4 percent wercecccrosere 11,854,328
Total SOeCeeeeeoeSeoaeeeeeeoeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeoees $308 , 212,530

J/ESTIMATED, DOES NOT INCLUDE THE EVALUATION OF RECREATIONAL OR SPORT FISHING.
NOTE: ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES, STATE OF WASHINGTON, AND BASED
ON A SURVEY CONDUCTED BY THAT AGENCY.

78 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW VoL. 12, No. 10

LANDINGS AND RECEIPTS

In Millions of Pounds
MAINE - LANDINGS . MASSACHUSETTS - LANDINGS
NOT INCLUDING IMPORTS BOSTON , GLOUCESTER , NEW BEDFORD , & CAPE COD AG

JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY. JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT. NOV. DEC. JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY. JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT. NOV. DEC.
NEW YORK CITY-RECEIPTS OF FRESH & FROZEN FISH CHICAGO - RECEIPTS OF FRESH & FROZEN FISH
SALT-WATER MARKET WHOLESALE MARKET

JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY. JUNE JULY AUG, SEPT. OCT, NOV. DEC. JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY. JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT, NOV. DEC.
GULF - SHRIMP LANDINGS SEATTLE - RECEIPTS OF FRESH & FROZEN FISH
12.0 HEADS OFF - FOR ALL USES WHOLESALE MARKET , LANDINGS , & IMPORTS 16

JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT. NOV. DEC. JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY JUNE JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY. JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT. NOV. DEC.

In Thousands of Tons
CALIFORNIA - PILCHARD LANDINGS CALIFORNIA- TUNA AND TUNA-LIKE FISH ye

JULY AUG, SEPT. OCT, NOV, DEC. JAN, FEB, MAR. APR.MAY JUNE JAN, FEB. MAR, APR, MAY. JUNE JULY AUG, SEPT, OCT, NOV, DEC.
eeceacee ESTIMATED

October 1950 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW fizd

COLD STORAGE HOLDINGS and FREEZINGS of FISHERY PRODUCTS

In Millions of Pounds
U.S. & ALASKA - HOLDINGS OF FROZEN FISH U.S. & ALASKA - FREEZINGS

10}
JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY. JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT. NOV. DEC.

NEW YORK CITY - HOLDINGS OF FROZEN FISH

JAN. FEB, MAR. APR, MAY. JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT. NOV. DEC. JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY. JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT. NOV. DEC.

CHICAGO - HOLDINGS OF FROZEN FISH GULF - HOLDINGS OF FROZEN FISH

S

b a oOo

O,u fF aT HD N DO Oo

JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY. JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT. NOV. DEC. JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY. JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT. NOV. DEC.

WASHINGTON, OREGON, AND ALASKA - +
HOLDINGS OF FROZEN FISH CALIFORNIA - HOLDINGS OF FROZEN FISH

48
42

36

JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY. JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT. NOV. DEC. JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY. JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT. NOV. DEC.

80 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 12, No. 10

CANNED FISHERY PRODUCTS

in Thousands of Standard Cases
MAINE - SARDINES , ESTIMATED PACK UNITED STATES - SHRIMP

Eee (ota

J i (0)
JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY. JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT. NOV. BEG JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT. NOV. DEC. JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY JUNE

CALIFORNIA - TUNA AND TUNA-LIKE FISH CALIFORNIA - PILCHARDS

1200

1050)

JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY. JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT. NOV. DEC. JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT. NOV. DEC. JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY JUNE

CALIFORNIA - MACKEREL ALASKA - SALMON

JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY. JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT. NOV. DEC. JAN. FEB. MAR, APR. MAY. JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT. NOV. DEC.

WASHINGTON - PUGET SOUND SALMON

STANDARD CASES

Variety No.Cans Can Designation Net. Wat.
SARDINES 100 V4 drawn 3.1/4 oz.

SHRIMP 48 ease 5 oz.

TUNA 48 No. 1/2 tuna 7 oz.
PILCHARDS 48 No. 1 oval 15 oz.

MACKEREL 48 No. 300 15 oz.

SALMON 48 —1-pound tall 16 oz.

JAN, FEB. MAR. APR. MAY. JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT. NOV. DEC.

eeee see ESTINETED

October 1950 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 81

PRICES , IMPORTS and BY-PRODUCTS

BOSTON - WEIGHTED AVERAGE PRICE MAINE - IMPORTS OF FRESH SEA HERRING
ON NEW ENGLAND FISH EXCHANGE IN ¢ PER POUND IN MILLIONS OF POUNDS

JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY. JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT. NOV. DEC.

In Millions of Pounds
U.S. - IMPORTS OF FRESH & FROZEN FILLETS U.S.- IMPORTS OF FRESH AND FROZEN
OF GROUND FISH, INCLUDING ROSEFISH SHRIMP FROM MEXICO

JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY. JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT. NOV. DEC. JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY. JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT, NOV. DEC.

In Millions of Pounds
U.S.- IMPORTS OF CANNED TUNA U.S.-IMPORTS OF CANNED SARDINES
AND TUNA-LIKE /FISH (Include in oil and not in oil )

O'JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY. JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT. OGT. NOV. DEC. JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY. JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT. NOV. DEC.
U.S. & ALASKA - PRODUCTION OF FISH MEAL U.S. & ALASKA - PRODUCTION OF FISH OIL
IN THOUSANDS OF TONS IN MILLIONS OF GALLONS

JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY. JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT, NOV. DEC. JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY. JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT. NOV. DEC.

82 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 12, No. 10

Ste eS

TB nee a te a oe he Os Se a a ee et OSE IEE

Recent publications of interest to the commercial fishing industry are listed
below.

FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE PUBLICATIONS

THESE PROCESSED PUBLICATIONS ARE AVAILABLE FREE FROM THE DIVISION OF
INFORMATION, U. S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE, WASHINGTON 25, D. C. TYPES
OF PUBLICATIONS ARE DESIGNATED AS FOLLOWS:

CFS - CURRENT FISHERY STATISTICS OF THE UNITED STATES AND ALASKA.

SL - STATISTICAL SECTION LISTS OF DEALERS IN AND PRODUCERS OF
FISHERY PRODUCTS AND BYPRODUCTS.

SEP.- SEPARATES (REPRINTS) FROM COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW.

Number Title Number Title
CFS-568 - Fish Meal and Oil, July 1950, 4 p. SL-111 (Revised) - Firms Canning Clam Products, 1949,

CFS-570 - Massachusetts Landings, April 1950, 14 p. 2D.
CFS-573 - Texas Landings, August 1950, 4:p. Sep. 258 - Salmon Cannery Trimmings --
CFS-574 - Maine Landings, Julv 1950, 4 p. Part I - Relative Amounts of Separated Parts.

MISCELLANEOUS PUBLICATIONS

SERVICE, BUT USUALLY MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE AGENCIES ISSUING THEM.
CORRESPONDENCE REGARDING PUBLICATIONS THAT FOLLOW SHOULD BE ADDRESSED
TO THE RESPECTIVE AGENCIES OR PUBLISHERS MENTIONED. DATA ON PRICES,
IF READILY AVAILABLE, ARE SHOWN.

‘Advance Report on the Fisheries of British Columbia,
1948, 12-1029, 13 p. (mostly statistical tables) ,
processed, 25 cents. Fisheries Section, Industry
and Merchandising Division, Dominion Bureau of
Statistics, Ottawa, Canada, 1950. Reports on the
fisheries of British Columbia for the year 1948.
Included are data on the quantity and value of
fish landed and marketed, and capital equipment
and employees in the fisheries.

dising Division, Dominion Bureau of Statistics,
Ottawa, Canada, 1950. Reports on the fisheries
of Ontario, the Prairie Provinces, and the North-
west Territories of Canada for the year 1948, In-
cluded are data on the quantity and value of fish
landed and marketed, and capital equipment and
employees in the fisheries.

The American Ephemeris and Nautical “Almanac (For the
Year 1951), 620 p., with tables, printed, $3.25.

Advance Report on the Fisheries of New Brunswick, The Nautical Almanac Office, United States Ob-

1948, 12-1032, 12 p. (mostly statistical tables),
processed, 25 cents. Fisheries Section, Industry
and Merchandising Division, Dominion Bureau of
Statistics, Ottawa, Canada, 1950. Reports on the
sea and inland fisheries of New Brunswick for the
year 1948, Included are data on the quantity and
value of fish landed and marketed, and capital
equipment and employees in the fisheries.

Provinces and the Northwest Territories, 1948, l2-

102X, 16 p. (mostly statistical tables), processed,
25 cents. Fisheries Section, Industry and Merchan-

servatory under the authority of the Secretary

of the Navy, Washington, D. C., 1949. (Available
only by purchase from the Superintendent of Doc-
uments, Washington 25, D. C.) This book is sim-
ilar in all respects to the one for 1950,with a
few minor exceptions. It provides the navigator
with a compact publication containing all of the
ephemeris (astronomical) material essential to
the solution of problems of navigational position.

Average Lunar Month Catch by California Sardine Fish-

ermen 1952-35 through 1948-49, by Frances N. Clark
and Anita E. Daugherty, Fish Bulletin No. 76, 28 p.,

October 1950

COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 83

THESE PUBLICATIONS ARE NOT AVAILABLE FROM THE FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE,

illus., printed. Bureau of Marine Fisheries, Di-
vision of Fish and Game, San Francisco, Calif.,
1950. This report covers the results of a study
using boat catches as in two former investigations
for the seasons of 1932-33 through 1941-42, and
extending the calculatians through 1948-49, The
fisherman's success has been measured both in tons
per lunar month and in number of fish per month.
For all of California, according to this report,
the average lunar month catch in tons increased
from 1932-33 to 1934-35, decreased to 1937-38,
increased somewhat until 1942-43, and then began
a slight decline which accelerated after 1944-45
and continued through 1947-48, A slight upward
trend occurred in 1948-49, This general trend
was also evident in the average monthly catch in
number of fish but the increase from 1937-38 to
1941-42 was greater. Based on numbers of fish
caught, the highest peak in total catch occurred
in 1941-42 when there was a scarcity of older
sardines on the fishing grounds and the fishery
depended on the very abundant 1939 year class.
This lack of fish with no new abundant year
classes entering the fishery is offered as the
explanation of the serious decline in the sardine
fishery after 1944-45.

"Biological and Economic Notes on the Sharks of the
Gulf of Mexico, With Especial Reference to Those
of Texas, and With a Key for their Identification,"
by J. L. Baughman and Stewart Springer, article,
reprinted from The American Midland Naturalist,
July 1950, vol. 44, no. 1, pp. 96-152, illus.,
printed. University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame,
Ind., $6.00 per year. As no comprehensive work
has hitherto been attempted on the sharks of the
Gulf of Mexico, the authors present in this article
all available data on these fish. Wherever possib
a photograph or line drawing of the species has
been used. In addition, a key has been prepared
to aid the student in identifying the various
species, and all available information on range,
food, breeding habits, embryology, and economic
uses has been incorporated, in order to present
as complete a picture of each species as possible.
According to the authors, "the Texas sharks pre-
sent an interesting commingling of Panamanian.
West Indian, and South American forms,"

"Development Plans for Haiti," article, Trade News,
July 1950, vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 23-8, processed.
Department of Fisheries, Ottawa, Canada. Dis-
cusses the importance of Haiti as a fisheries
market; and deals with the need of fishery prod-
ucts in Haiti, the nature of the local fisheries
industry, the expansion of production and mar-
keting of fishery products, and the difficulties
facing a fisheries development program,

Florida Seaweeds and Their Commercial Use, by RobertH.
Williams, Educational Series No. 7, 19 p., illus.,
printed. State Board of Conservation, Tallahassee,
Fla. Summarizes the existing information on use-
ful seaweeds in Florida--kinds, distribution, and
seasonal abundance. Uses, harvesting and process—
ing methods, and what the State of Florida is doing
for this potential industry are presented in this
booklet.

"The Harvest from the Sea," article, Monthly Review,

July 31, 1950, vol. XXXV, no. 7, pp. 61-6, printed.
Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, Atlanta, Ga. Dis-
cusses the fisheries of the Sixth Federal Reserve
District (Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi,
and Louisiana). The catch, processing and mar-
keting, financing, problems of the industry, and
progress at Pascagoula are some of the subjects
covered in this article.

"La Pesca de Perlas en Venezuela," (Venezuelan Pearl

Fishery}, article, El Agricultor Venezolano, June
1950, vol. XV, no. 143, pp. 10-2, illus., in Span-
ish. Ministerio de Agricultura Y Cria, Caracas,
Venezuela. Discusses the Venezuelan pearl fishery.

Oyster Culture in Japan, by A. R. Cahn, Report No, 134,

80 p., illus., processed. Natural Resources Section,
Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers, Tokyo, Sep-
tember 1950. (Reports may be purchased in photostat
or microfilm from the Office of Technical Services,
U. S.-Department of Commerce, Washington 25, D. C.)
Because of the direct interest of the United States,
Canada, and other nations in Japan's oyster pro-
duction, this report discusses the Japanese oyster
culture procedures in some detail. The Japanese
have been exceedingly efficient in the culture of
both edible and pearl oysters, and their methods

are therefore of more than passing interest to the
occidental world. Because the methods employed
today are the result of many hundreds of years of
culture, experience, and experiment, this report
traces the history of oyster culture in Japan from
its beginning to the present-day techniques. Among
the subjects covered are species and distribution;
biology; culture; utilization and byproducts; pro-
duction and export; and enemies and damage.

Oysters in Texas, by J. L. Baughman and Byron B. Baker,

Jr., Bulletin No. 29, Marine Laboratory Series No. 1,
37 p., illus., printed. The Texas Game, Fish and
Oyster Commission, Austin, Texas, 1950. This booklet,
the first of a series, gives what information is
available on the oysters of Texas. It is the hope

of the Commission that it will aid in the successful
development of an oyster industry along the Texas
coast. In addition to biological data on oysters,

the various methods of planting and harvesting oysters
are explained, and advice is given on how to obtain
oyster bottom on which to grow oysters. What Texas
is doing to encourage the oyster industry and a list
of recommendations for changes in legislation and
biological research also are given.

Report of the Council of FAO (Ninth Session 8-17 May 1950,

Rome, Ttaly), 32 p., processed. Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations, Washington, D. C.,
May 1950. A report of the Ninth Session of the Coun-
cil of FAO, May 8-17, 1950, in Rome. Among the ac-
tivities covered and reported upon in this report are
the following: world food and agriculture situation;
commodity problems; technical assistance for economic
development; improvements in the collection of eco-
nomic and statistical information from Member Gov-
ernments; and relations with international organiza-
tions, In addition, this report gives the discussions
on the removal of FAO headquarters to Rome; financial
situation of the Organization; revision of the consti-
tution; and the next session of the Conference.

8h, COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW

Vol. 12, No. 10

THESE PUBLICATIONS ARE NOT AVAILABLE FROM THE FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE,

Transactions of the American Fisheries Society, 1949
Seventy-Ninth Annual Meeting, Winnipeg, Manitoba,
September 14-16, 1949), vol. 79, 344 p., illus.,
printed, 34.00. American Fisheries Society, St.
Paul, Minnesota, 1950. (Order from William C.
Beckman, Librarian, American Fisheries Society,
Colorado Cooperative Fisheries Research Unit,
Colorado A and M College, Fort Collins, Colo.)
Part I gives the papers presented at the Seventy-
Ninth Annual Meeting of the Society. The following
are some of the papers presented: "A Consideration
of the Hoover Report;" "The Lakes and Lake Fish-
eries of Manitoba;" "The Uffect of Lamprey Attacks
Upon Lake Trout in Seneca Lake, New York;" "Moen-
haden Utilization in Relation to the Conservation
of Food and Game Fishes of the Texas Gulf Coast;"
"Determination of Optimum Size of Mesh for Gill
Nets in Lake Manitoba;" "Observations on Mortality
Rates in Fished and Unfished Cisco Populations;"
"The Philippine Institute of Fisheries Technology:
Its Organization and Progress." Part II reports
on the business sessions of the Society.

Trade Lists

The Commercial Intelligence Branch, Office of
International Trade, U. S. Department of Commerce,

of fishery products.
handled are given for each firm listed.

In Cuba,
by fish vendors

has published the following mimeographed trade lists,
and copies of these trade lists may be obtained by
firms in the United States from that office or from
Department of Commerce field offices at $1.00 per
list.

Crayfish Processors--Australia, 2 p. (July 1950)

Frozen Foods, Processors and Exporters--Mexico,
3 pe (July 1950)

Frozen Foods Processors and Exporters--Australia,
8 p. (July 1950)

Camneries--Mexico, 6 p. (July 1950)

Canneries--Morocco, 26 p. (July 1950)
Canneries--Norway, 15 p. (August 1950)
Canneries--Spain, 30 p. (August 1950)
Canneries--Venezuela, 2 p. (July 1950)

The above lists include processors and exporters
The name, address, and products

fresh fillets are prepared
only upon request, The

fish is cleaned andthe head and bones re-

moved,
for fillets is
snapper,

red

all by hand, The limited demand
mostly of grouper, cod,
muttonfish and kingfish,

Small quantities have been shipped spo-

radically to the United States,

and then

only when the local market was congested

and prices were low,
small quantities of glazed fillets

In the pdést, very

were

also exported to the United States,

Frozen fillets are

not prepared or

sold in Cuba,

--Fishery Leaflet 308

October 1950 COMMIRCIAL FISHERIZS RIVIEW 85

CONTENTS, CONTINUED

PAGE PAGE
FOREIGN (CONT. ): FEDERAL ACTIONS (CONT. ):
PORTUGAL: FQOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION:
FISHERIES REVIEW, U949) a. = ssinisieteaweie’s pects weit cictsewnnt o> “PACIFIC PERCH” NOT APPROPRIATE FOR ROCKFISH
SPAIN: ( SEBASTODES ALUTUS ) FILLETS ...e-cseneceseces 72
FISHERY BYPRODUCTS INDUSTRY ...ccecececesececcerces 66 DEPARTMENT OF STATE
SWEDEN: : U. S. REPRESENTATIVES TO FAO HERRING MEETINGS NAMED 73
ECONOMIC CONTROL OF FISHERIES EXTENDED .....-..0.+. 68 U. S. DELEGATION DESIGNATED FOR FORTHCOMING TARIFF
GOVERNMENT pueeaEs EXTENSION OF "GENERAL WATERS NEGOTIATIONS y «acs se tuieR Ramer viele cies Gehan mitee cen ane
FORME SHING) Ors sale lelovaie cieieciete aicitnrelan ciate ereuemteatis nites 68 TERMINATION OF TRADE AGREEMENT WITH MEXICO TO
SWEDISH-NORWEGIAN DISPUTE OVER FISHING RIGHTS IN BECOME EFFECTIVE .sseeeees roan ott!
THES SKAGERAK’ laictercrejala ojaeciae oletsinieisivints « Gidea eeetatieersct 6G SOME IMPORT DUTIES ON FISH WILL INCREASE WITH.
ULS.S. Ret . CHINESE WITHDRAWAL FROM GATT ... Sacenpnan tk
REAFFIRMS CLAIM TO TWELVE-MILE LIMIT IN BALTIC .... 69 EIGHTY-FIRST “CONGRESS (SECOND SESSION), “SEPT. 1950 75
VENEZUELA: GRAPHS sijeteiavcineo aici siniulsie ate ola ciesesic teh ice mtreeiccsaeel 7G
FISH CANNERS ASSOCIATION URGES BAN ON CANNED FISH KANDINGSHASRECELPTS! sec ee cnemitivici ee uvieiesinccen ase
UMPORTS a ntoethcaiewiseie wittec omes ccrea eine eniceremmrinnin eT aOo COLD STORAGE HOLDINGS & FREEZINGS OF FISHERY
FEDERAL ACTIONS: ..seceeececes aeeeabi ask Seepissee meal PRODUCTS igetiels ctteivie cleisinisiclerete islets sic seniictetetetereicia sumnay a)
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR - FISH AND WILDLIFE CANNED FISHERY PRODUCTS ..csecere-ssececerereresess 80
SERVICE: PRICES, IMPORTS & BYPRODUCTS ....sesecsvererececess Bl
FISHERIES TRAINING PROGRAM OF FILIPINOS TERMINATED 71 RECENT FISHERY PUBLICATIONS: ... Seepanoaoseen tls
FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE PUBLICATIONS ......+..226 82
MISCELLANEOUS PUBLICATIONS ...ccesecesesecereeereee 82

FOOD VALUE OF FISH AND SHELLFISH

DO YOU KNOW e@eoesde

That fat fish like salmon and mackerel are excellent
sources of vitamins A and D, an average portion supplying
20 percent of the daily quota of vitamin A and all the vitamin
D required. The natural oil in canned fish is also a valuable
source of these vitamins. .ece

eee ee ee en ——

Illustrator-- Gustaf T. Sundstrom
Compositors-- Jean Zalevsky, Carolyn Wood, Betty Coakley

Photograph credits: Cover - Sidney. Shapiro; pp. 4, 6, 7, 12, and13-U. S.
Army Signal Corps; p. 31 - H. A. Schuck; p. 42 - Australian official photo, Cliff
Bottomley; p. 43 - Australian official photo; p. 46 - Mogens Jul; pp. 47-8 -
Robert O. Smith, Other photographs in this issue annonymous,
ss SSS SSS SS SS

Interior--Duplicating Section, Washington, D. C.
JOB #83159

WAL

THE CODFISH INDUSTRY IN NORTHERN PORTUGAL 3 9088 01018 1188

The codfish industry in Northern Portugal is one of the most important indus-
tries in the country, representing a capital investment of about $14,000,000.
Fishery Leaflet 367, The Codfish Industry
in Northern Portugal, describes the Por-
tuguese cod fishing industry, the curing
industry, the distribution of fresh cod
and byproducts, and Portugal's interna-
tional trade in cod.

Seasons, equipment used, methods of (

fishing, port facilities, personnel em-
ployed, andthe amount of control the Gov-
ernment has over the industry are all dis- |
cussed in the section on the cod fishing i}
industry to be found in this 23-page leaf- tne
let. The section dealing with the curing ie
industry covers the equipment andthe meth- 4
ods used, and the personnel employed. In
the section on distribution, the system
used in handling the cod and byproducts
from the time it leaves the vessel until
it reaches the retail stores is described.
The discussion on international trade brings
out the fact that Portugal is a major im-
porter of cod and will remain so for some
time to come. Included is a short history
of the Portuguese cod fishing industry.

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Because the Portuguese demand for cod

remains considerably in excess of supply,

the author of the leaflet points out, the Government controls the cod trade quanti-

tatively to the wholesale level and sets the prices paid by the wholesalers, re-
tailer, and consumers to assure a relatively equitable distribution.

Free copies of Fishery Leaflet 367 are available upon request from the Divi-
sion of Information, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington 25, D. C.

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